CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1582, 14 January 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE SHEEP BLOCKADE TO THE EDITOR.' Sir, —In the Daily under date of January 3rd, I saw n notice of ut deputation having waited upon the Colonial Secretary to get the road re-opened between Wellington and Napier, it having been closed against travelling sheep on account ot scab on some of the coast runs, and that Mr Dick refused to agree to the request as the Masterton Sheep Inspectors were against it. This is a most serious matter, not only to the sheep owners who have fat sheep to sell, but it may have a most injurious effect upon the colony at large. The question may lie considered in two ways: (Ist) Is there in this particular case any danger of scab ~ spreading through sheep being allowed to travel between Napier and Wellington? (2nd) Does the Sheep Act give inspectors power to prevent sheep (for which a clean certificate is held) travelling along a public road, even should that road pass through an infected run? All flocks of sheep are 'clean.frora> Napier, including; the flocks of sheep on the north side of the Akitio river, belonging to the estate of the late Mr Armstrong. On the south side of the Akitio river, Handyside, Roberts and Co. (late Dr Featlierston), I am in a position to state, upon the bestauthority, that out of nearly 24,000 shesp there were not forty sheep with spots of scab, so small that it would kve taken a most experienced trader to havo detected the disease. The adjoining run (Aohanga), also held by Messrs Handyside, Roberts and Co,, I can state, on the same authority as above, that there were not fifty sheep with spots of scab upon them, Mataikuna run, held by W. W. Johnston, Esq.: There was some scab upon tho sheep during shearing; they have beem dipped twice since then, the sheep inspector having been present all through the second dipping, and also assisted at the mustering. He did not,. I believe, see a sign of any scab, either upon the sheep that had been dipped off the shears or on the stragglers that were mustered in his presence. Caatlepoint run, held by W. W. Johnston, Esq.: The sheep inspector was, I believe, present all through shearing, and only found ono sheep with scab upon it, and it was among a flock miles away from the road. ' The next, and last, infected run i& that of Elder and Co., Langdale. Out of over 20,0(10 sheep I believe there were only a very few found in cneflook with scab* and the sheep of

that flock do not run within some miles of. tko road. Tko correctness of my statements can easily be verified. Any practical man will allow that if sheep are dipped before starting there would not be the slightest possibility of any danger, of their becoming infected passing through those properties I have •just, mentioned, nor would there be any danger'.' from stragglers were those driving obliged to take a sufficient number of hands—say three to two thousand sheep, besides a man to take on notices or lead a pack-horse. lam sure no blame can attach to Mr Dick in this matter j he only acts on tho recommendations of the sheep inspectors, they, I presume, act on the instructions received from the Superintending Inspector, Mr Baiyley. This case shows either a glaring piece of red tapeisin on the part of inspectors, or an utter want of practical knowledge on the part of the head of the Department, .or an open disregr orders in Council: '"Ft BW a good understanding with sheep as an inspector's usefulness in his district will greatly depend upon their cordial support and co-operation." Sheep owners in the East Coast and Whareama have shewn that tbey are earnestly desirous to see scab stamped out of tho district, and that they are prepared to give inspectors their cordial 1 support if red tapeism is swept out of the Department and the administration of the Act is carried out in an intelligent manner. Tlie frozen meat trade requires the most careful nursing, and if the whims of incompetent or reckless officials are allowed to lurk in its early struggles in this manner, both town residents and country settlers will have cause to bitterly regret their apathy in not bringing such pressure to bear upon the Government as will cause them to. instruct their officers to withdraw the unwise restrictions they have just placed upon the travelling of sheep intended for the Wellington trade. The fortieth section of the Sheep Act gives any person power to drive sheep from a clean district to any other district, if he holds a clean certificate for such sheep,' and gives the inspector of the district into which they are to be introduced seven days' notice of his intention so to introduce them. Forty-sixth section: "No sheep shall be driven through any infected run under a penalty, &c., Ac,, provided that tho inspector may give permission for any sheep to be so driven if lie is satisfied that sufficient precautions are taken to prevent such sheep from becoming infected." I fail to see that the above section gives an inspector any power to prevent clean sheep being driven along a public road or highway. It simply says " through any infected run," meaning, I believe, any given direction other than a public road; also, as there is a chain wide road laid off from the south side of the Akitio river as far as the sea beach at Aohanga. From Mataikunato Whakataki, the road is partly beach and partly laid off abovo high water mark; from Whakataki to Mastcrton a chain wide road is formed, and a great deal of it metalled, so that 1 fail to see inspectors have any power to interfere under the forth-sixth section of tho Sheep Act with sheep holding a clean certificate and travelling from Napier district to Wellington. lam, ■etc. A Clean Siieepowner.