THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1911. VETERINARY INSPECTORS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10307, 7 August 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1911. VETERINARY INSPECTORS.

One of the most pressing requirements in the rural districts of the Dominion at the present time is a supply of qualified veterinary surgeons. The stock in the country is subject to all manner of diseases'— some infectious and others of a highly contagious character. The Government possesses a few skilled yeterin;;arian& imported from, .other .'countries, whose services are isoinetdmes available in eases of emergency; but (these are totally insufficient in; number for the requirements of the Dominion. Some time back a suggeistion was made that Stock Inspectors should be required to pass an examination in veterinary soience. The suggestion was considered impracticable, though .the Department went ■ .so far as to cause the inspectors to attend &> series of lectures by a wellknown veterinary surgeon. Generally speaking, the Stock Inspectors ihave a very good idea of diaignosing i disease, and of applying simple reme- | dies. They are, however, unable to perform surgical operations or to deal with intricate cases. Thousands, of pounds are being lost to farmers, and to the* Dominion, every year, through the want of veterinary skill. A proposal has recently been made that a tdhaiir of Veterinary Science he estahilished in connection with the N.Z. University. This is a 'step in the night direction. If the Minister for Agriculture would give an assmrance (tJhiait Ifuture appointmentsi of ' Stock inspectors would be made frchr the ranks of veterinarians who had qualified Iby examination, the veterinary science branch of eduoation would be taken up by some of our brightest young men, and in the courts© of a few years the present inconveniences and loss would b» largely overi come. The.imatter is one whjch deI Hemes the closest, atiassitioji «i Ministers of the Grown.