STOCK DISEASES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 June 1938, Page 3

STOCK DISEASES

MINISTER ON ORGANISATION PLANS HOPES OF ESTABLISHING PROFESSORSHIP. TRAINING OF VETERINARIANS IN NEW ZEALAND. (By Telegrauh—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 28. Opening the conference of the Veterinary Association the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) referred to the outbreak of facial eczema in the Waikato and detailed the steps being taken to overcome it. He also mentioned the increased activities of the Government in veterinary matters and held out the hope that New Zealand bursary students, now trained in Sydney or the United Kingdom might be trained in New Zealand.

In regard to facial eczema, he said it was the largest organised attack ever made in New Zealand on any one disease, and no let up would be allowed until some definite had been obtained. The Government had made available a sum of £lO,OOO. Mr Martin’s remarks in regard to the training of students arose from a reference to the new Wallaceville Laboratory and to the staffing of this research station. The Minister said he believed the time had come with regard to stock ailments when a Chair should be established at one of the New Zealand universities. It was his intention to take this matter up and see if it were not possible to provide the necessary training facilities in New Zealand.

The question of Government subsidy being given to dairy factories or other organisations employing a veterinarian in their respective districts was one to which he had given serious consideration and he hoped shortly to make a commencement in that direction.

The Minister referred also to the operation of the Remounts Encouragement Act of 1914. Regulations dealing with the working of this Act had been gazetted, and the Racing Conference Trotting Conference, and other bodies interested had been most helpful in getting the necessary organisation into working order for the next breeding season. It was hoped that by the encouragement given by means of a subsidy to owners of suitable •stallions, a marked stimulus would be given to the breeding of horses of the general utility type.