SCABBY SHEEP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1009, 27 February 1882, Page 3

SCABBY SHEEP.

[To the Editor of the Daily,| ■ Sir—An article from the Patea correspondent of the New Zealand Mail affords matter for the serious consideration of all aheepfarmevs, more especially Wairarapa North and South, wheio such large interests are involved, the rough nature of the country requiring not only perseverance and care on the part of the sheepowners who are unfortunate enough to possess ioabby sheep, but great tact and constant attention to his duties, combined with a . of his work oh the officer intrusted with the adi ministration of the Act. As a sheepfarmer of thirty years' experience, I have given the Sheep Act and its adminißtratidhrny serious attention. I came to the conolu- \ aion some years ago that in order to secure the proper administration of tho Sheep Act it was desirable that there should be a Chief Inspector of Sheep appointed for the whole Colony; that District Chief Inspectors should be done away with, each inspector of sheep .having a subdivision assigned to him, and, always supposing the Chief Inspector to be a thoroughly : practical man, combining firmness with a gentlemanly bearing towards his subordinates, would give 'inspectors of subdivisions an assuranco that an intelligent and energetic performance of their duties would be reco«iiißed, it would- not then be, as it too often is.the.case at present, that men who'are in every respect quali ; fied to discharge the duties of their office are frequently' over-ruled by those above \ 'them, too frequently the" public interests ■•' are suffering by Biich a Btate of affairs. [ Young men. wishing to,'enter the civil I. 'service of.th^' colony.have.to undergo i • certain examiriatiohs to show their fitness

I for office, _ Why then should.applicants for j thoioffice of Shcop'lnspoctor not bo'tosted \ in like manner as to tlioir practical ex!penoncoiu treatmontof diseased sheep? A man umy bo a vory old sheep fannor, and still be quite urfit to act as Inspector ofsheop, 13y the oxeroiso. of such cave in the appointment of inspectors the unfortunate mistakes that have happened lately at Patea and Wanganiii would be avoided, Even in Wairarapa the prudence of cortain acts, both by sheepowners and the Inspector are very questionable, I refer to sheep belonging te Mr Percy, Te Ore Ore, having been mixed with infected sheep on Opaki, afterwards driven along tho public road through the toll gate without having been dipped, and then placed along-side two olean flocks. As a sample of what has been done in several pases within the last few months, in one instance a sheepowner got an order from the Inspector to dean 900 sheep, moro or less, and when the quarterly return of infected flocks were published all the sheep on the station, numbering some 16,000, were gazetted as infected. The Government have shown that they are earnestly desirous of doing all in their power to assist sheepowners in eradicating scab from the country, and that the settlers must also do their part. Perseverance and caro on the part of the settlers, practical men, energetic and intelligent officers on the part of the UoTornment will attain tho desired end. lam, &c, Sheep Farmeii, East Coast, Feb. 23.