FACIAL ECZEMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1938, Page 3

FACIAL ECZEMA

LOSS THROUGH EPIDEMIC ESTIMATED AT ABOUT £1,000,000 (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 16. Steps being taken by the Government to investigate the causes of facial eczema, which caused extensive losses of farm stock during the autumn, were detailed by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon W. Lee Martin, when speaking at the opening of nexy plant at the East Tamaki Co-operate Dairy Company’s factory. He said he was told that the cost of the epidemic was about £1,000,000. Facial eczema had been experienced in the Dominion for the last 40 years, the Minister stated, and he had been informed by his officers that losses in 1935 were probably as great as those this year. That so little had been heard about it on the previous occasion was probably because it was confined to sheep, whereas in 1938 it had made inroads into dairy herds. All through the years, as soon as an epidemic waned, they had not seemed to trouble any more about the matter until a new outbreak occurred. There was a better way of meeting the position, and the department had selected special officers for investigating the disease and, with the assistance of the farming' community, a committee of producers was elected to work in cooperation with the experts. Last Friday he had informed the Prime Minister that £lO,OOO was needed to make a start with the work and this was granted willingly. In investigation of mammitis, the Dairy Board had given very full cooperation. After Dr Hucker’s visit work must be continued, and the board had agreed to find £4OOO if a similar amount were granted by the Government. This action was. taken and £BOOO would be spent during the coming season in an effort to improve the position. “I have always sought the assistance of farmers, and there is not an appointment that has been made or a major undertaking entered into without my consulting them,” Mr Lee Martin added.