CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1613, 19 February 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

CORRECTION. Sir,—ln the report of the engineer of the Masterton Highway • Board, we notice the following re Westmere Road: —"Work had to be suspended owing to the dilatory manner in which the timber was being supplied by the Waipoua Saw Mills." We beg to state, as proprietors of the Waipoua Saw Mills, that we have nothing to do with tho supply of materials for the said contract, nor. any contracts in hand with the Masterton Highway Board, Trusting you will rectify the error,, however it occurred, We have, etc., S. Bacon <!s Co. SHEEP PERMITS. (to the editor.) Sir,—l notice that the Government now permit sheep to be driven from theHawkes Bay district to Masterton, but it is very much to be regretted that the conditions on which a permit is granted aro such that it is very very doubtful whether' it will not amount to a prohibition, the expenses attending the carrying out of the conditions being so heavy.' The sheep owners on the East Coast and Whareama district have shovn that they are not only anxious to stamp scab out of the country, but that they are prepared to give every assistance to tho Inspector of sheep if the Act is administered in an intelligent and reasonable manner. The conditions are now before me, and they certainly appear to be wanting, not only in reason, but in a practical knowledge of the work, Inspector Drummond is a thoroughly practical man. Those who know him are aware that he will discharge the duties of his office strictly and impartially. I cannot therefore believe that, he alone is responsible for the issuing of such orders, but I believe, as many others believe, that he is unduly interfered with by the head of the Department. There cannot be the least doubt that the Government are earnestly desirous of stamping scab out of the district, but there is a right and a wrong way as in most things. I am certain that no practical man will say that the restrictions now placed on the driving of stock through the infected coast runs will have the slightest influence in eradicating scab on those runs, or in keeping the coast and the neighboring country clean : Conditions—Clause No. I.—Each mob of sheep travelling not to exceed twelve hundred andfiftyi(l2so.) Why 1250 1 as double that number • could be driven in one mob with perfect safety. Clause No, 2.—No mob to be allowed to travel across the boundary at Waimata until the mob previously crossed the said boundary has been delivered in Masterton. If shippers were pressed for time to complete the loading of a vessel injurious and expensivo delays would be prevented by keeping two mobs of sheep only a day's journey apart, if there was any objection to their being driven in one lot. Anything more unreasonable than the above clause I can hardly conceive. Clause No. 3.—Brandiug and dipping. This is a right and reasonable condition. Clause No. 4.—A1l weak sheep to be thrown out before starting. This is quite right, '" Clause No. s.—Sheep counted at boundary, and missing sheep to be accounted'for. There need be ho objection' to that. Clause''No.'_6;--No'..mob to be allowed tocross the boundary at " Waimata" unless attended by four first-olass I men with at least two good dogs each,

a fifth man to attend to skins of sheep knocking up, and a sixth to proceed in advance of sheep and clear the roads, So many men would only be in oho another's road with 1250 sheep. With a mob of heavy sheep, a man would have time to kill and skin a sheep knocking up before the mob would have gone five chains.

Clause No. 7.—This clause is un« reasonable in the extreme, " Any. sheep staying either on the Akitio and Manga runs for a night, to be camped .. at the south ends of each run only." ■ "■ This condition shows either a great want of thought, or of practical knowledge on the part of the officer who. is responsible for it. It is : well known that travelling sheep if they are disturbed at night, will try and make back the road they came. ' Sheep coming over Akiteo run and crossing the Aohonga river at the mouth, could be camped against the river, and it would be very unlikely for them to got past those watching, • but were they camped at tho south end of Akiteo run it would be impossible to stop them if they broke camp on a dark night. For the same reasons it would be very desirable that they should cross the Mataikuna river after going over the Aohonga run. I trust it will hot be thought that I am actuated by any nicro spirit of opposition to the powers that be in v making these remarks. I only niake 'jg them in tho hope that it -may : cause a*f fair enquiry to bo made,- 'and if it is found that these restrictions have been somewhat hastily issued, they will be so amended as not to unnecessarily interfere with ah industry that con- . corns the colony at large, tho Frozen Meat trade. lam&c, Sheep Owner-.