PUBLIC MEETING AT TINUI RE THE SHEEP ACT, 1878.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1776, 1 September 1884, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT TINUI RE THE SHEEP ACT, 1878.

This was one of .the largest and most influontially attended meetings ever held at Tinui, some forty settlers being present. Among the numbe,r were Messrs W, H, Beetham, P, Maunsell, E, Meredith, Ben., J. Harvey (estate of late J, Armstrong), and E. langdon, J.P, On the motion of Mr Maokay, seconded by Mr A, Walker, Mr E, Meredith was voted to the chair.

, The Chairman Baid, "It is evident from the great number of praotical sheep farmers I Bee present, and the fact of so m.any of them having come long distances at this time of year, over almost impassable roads, that great interest is taken in the object qi this meeting, whioh has donbtlesß been called at this particular time to take advantage of- Parliament being in session. The meeting, you will observe, is convened by Messrs Maokay, Walkeri and B. Meredith, three of the most representative and onergetio settlers, and who, I have no doubt, • have come prepared with suggestions that will commend themselves to the meeting. You are all doubtless aware that there is scarcely any Act of any great importance on the British statute book that has not from time to time been altered, in order to make it answer the object for whioh it was passed. We have met to-day to suggost amendments to an Act

which waß passed, not in the interests; of sheep farmers only, but in the interests of the whole of New Zealand, Wool ia our staple article of export, the one on whioh we mainly' depend for all the foreign commodities we consume. It is that which'pays the .interest on our anormnus national debt, arid anything which interferes with or curtails our exports is an, injury to the whole colony, and bo long as there is scab in flocks, bo long will our exports in wool and mutton be impeded, On these grounds we have a right to claim the ear and attention of Parliament, We are thoroughly in earnest. We desire to eradicate scab, if the Legislature and the Inspectors will allow ub to do so. All who are conversant with the Sheep Act must recognise a great defect in the absence of any remedial principle that enables Inspectors to compel the sheep farmers to act in concert. On the other hand it gives the Inspector not only an undue latitude of discretionary power, but what is worse, also undue latitude for private interpretation of certaiu seotions of the Act, which, is liable to great abuse, and in some.cases whioh could be cited as having imperilled, instead of protected the settler. The object we should'therefore keep steadily iu view in any amendments we propose is that while we increase its powers for the eradication of scab''we also minimise its powers for mischief.

Mr Mackay as one of the convenors of | the meeting, said the wide spread feeling , of discontent which prevailed in tliis : district with regard to the Sheep Act and , its administration had led to this meeliug being called, Settlers thought the Act required amending. This was no new idea, for ou two previous ocoasions—at ■ Carterton in 1881, and at Masterton last year committees had been constituted, and resolutions passed with this object. The outcome of these previous efforts had not however been an alteration of the Act, but the rorooval of Inspectors, He trusted the present agitation would not have a like result, but that really useful amendments would be made. This meeting had been called on general and broad grounds, and he sincerely hoped those present would not attaok individual Inspectors, who might not in any way be responsible, He would now direct the attention of the meeting to aome of the principal alterations thought necessary the first being the right to separate flocks, Under the existing law if one spot of scab was found in any flock the whole of the sheep on the run were declared infected, and the certificate cancelled no matter how far from the actually deceased flock and no matter what number of fences intervened between them. The owner conld not sell or remove any of his other sheep, while a neighbor with perhaps only one fenoe between could dispose of his. It wsb very desirable that owners should have every facility to sell their surplus stock so long as the removal ot them was hedged round with proper Bafe-guards and restrictions to proleot the public. Outside the question of amend" ing the Act was a matter of the most vital importance. He referred to the wild sheep on Crown Lands. Inspector Bayley iu his report attributed the recent spread of disease here to the mixing of those sheep with the settlers flocks. He was glad the Inspector was alive to this, for times out of number attention had been directed to it, and yet no effectual steps had been initiated to combat this source of the evil. It was a matter of paramount importance that immediate and thoroughly efficient stupe should be taken by the Government to destroy the wild sheep and stamp out scab on the Waste Lands. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore in the Legislative Council some sessions ago had forcibly drawn attention to the necessity of destroying these Bheep. The Hon, Mr Bobinson considered fencing them in on the Grown Lands was the remedy. It was all very well for the owner of the undulating Cheviot Hills to talk in this strain, If the gentleman had any ooncoption of the nature of the rough snow-covered mountains of portions of Marlborough he would be aware that it was next to impossible to fence, for if fencss were erected in winter they would be covered feet deep in snow, broken down, and sheep would be mixing indiscriminately There was only one remedy, these wild sheep niust be destroyed, and he trusted this meeting would support this view, (Applause). The penalties under some sections of the Aot required amendment, The case against Mr Qibsp.n at Kaikoura shewed this pointedly. Upon the evidence of the inspector this gentleman was proved to have done his utmost lo clean his aheep, failed, and was fined £SOO. Fined, gentlemen, for doing all that was possible. This was not right or just The Act should be so altered that the magistrates would have a discretionary power as to the amount of the fine, as at present there was no option, no matl er what steps an owner might take, if he failed he must be fined 3d per head, In some ways the Aot should be more stringent by compelling all owners in infected subdivisions to have, and maintain proper appliances for dipping, and to dip simultaneously, It had been stated tbat it was no use attempting amendments, as Bcab would very soon be stamped out, Well, if it was, what guarantee was there that the Aot would not be worked in a similar manner with respect to lice, In fact steps were already being taken in some districts to enforce its provisions against this pest, They were not alone in their complaints, The settlers in Marlborough were, itjs stated, not satisfied with the Aot. Mr Buckland, an Auckland auctioneer, had drawn attention to it, showing that 1500 sheep per week were imported from a clean district (Napier), and had to be dipped at Onehunga at a cost of 4d per head. This seemed absurd, the sheep being for slaughtering purposes. He hoped the meeting would deal with the whole subject on the broadest possible grounds, for they would then have a much greater chance of obtaining the co-operation of other dis--1 tricts to aid them in their efforts to obtain a more servicable Aot. In conclusion he would ask tho Chairman to read and comment upon the clauses it was thought necessary to amend.

The Chairman then drew attention to the following sections:—

Section 13—After the last words to be added "By same manner as owner or person in oharue," This waß neoessary in consequence of inspectors drawing staples and otherwise getting over fencea and through flood gates. Section 25.—That a distinguishing color be used for branding infected sheep as In long wool sheep the brand S was illegible a few hours after being put on the sheep,

Seotions 29 and 32.-These conflicted and it was proposed to alter them. Section 46.—The word " may" to read "shall," and the word "sulolent" to read " reasonable."

Seotion 52,—1t was proposed to repeal and adopt the amendment proposed by the Scab Committee that flat in Maaterton in July, 1883, Section 63.—0nu8.0f proof toreßt.upon plaintiff in lieu of defendant,' Section 67,-To be repealed, and in lieu, sheep ratea, fines, and penalties, to be paid into.Sheep Fund Account, and in; case of fines, to be applied in eradication of scab in distriots where levied. It was proposed to adopt No, 8 and 9, of the resolutions passed by the Committee in Masterton on July, 1883, referring to simultaneous dipping. and granting olean certificate.

RESOLUTIONS. Mr Maokay said he thought the best means of dealing with the amendments Would bo by a Committee. He would move," That in the opinion of this meet ing it .is desirable that the Sheep Act be amended, and that a Committee'.be appointed to prepare the necessary amendments, and a petition to Parliament praying that effeot begiven to them,"

Mr A.' Walker seconded.—Carried unanimously. Mr W, H, Beeiham moved that it be a recommendation to the Government to take immediate and efficient steps to ensuro the destruction of all sheop upon unoccupied Crown Lands, He said the. spread of scab had been traced to wild sheep on Crown Lands. The Government had never grappled with this important question, and as the eyil was still in existence it was high time they were urged to take steps in this direction. Scab had been got rid of by private owners bordering on Crown Tanas on two or three occasions, and then the flocks bad been re-scabbed from this cause, -Mr P. Maunsell seconded the resolution.; He quite agreed with previous speakers as to the necessity of destroying the'.wild sheep, and 1 -considered it the doty of the Government' to;, take steps in that direction.

Mr R. Meredith in support of the resolution said he was of opinion,,and not alone in contending, that scab would only be got rid of by men acting under the stimulus of their own interests, and it was irrational to suppose for a moment thatthe stimulus can be increased by the Department taking money by force from owners of infected flocks, whs would use it for this purpose, in order that it may be paid into the Consolidated Fund, to be applied for other purposes. He believed in a man being fined if he would not clean his sheep, but he contended that the fine should be used by the Department to dean those sheep. Mr Buchanan had staled that the loss lo the colony from scab amounted to .£230,000 per annum, liheep farmers were the backbone of the country and wool was the staple article of export, and it therefore became the duty of their Legislature and a fraternal Government to place on the estimates a sufficient sum of money to ensure the destruction of wild sheep on Crown Lands and save the loss to the colony.' The Government had voted 126,000 last year for the destruction of rabbits on Crown Lands, they must therefore admit their responsibility for wild' sheep. Inspector Bayley iu his report' stated the increase ' of infected sheep amounted to 107,354, therefore the loss to the country was proportionately greater. Inspector Bayley gave as his reason for the increase of scab, " That the effeot waß oaused by wild sheep having mixed with clean flooks." Further on he says. " Fencing in the first place, and a thorough soounng ot all unoccupied country, together with the destruction of all wild sheep, will, I hope, prevent a reocourrence of infection from this cause.''. These words of wisdom had been urged on the Government for years past, both by sheepowners and the Inspector's, Late'lnspeotor Telford wrote urging the Government to destroy the wild Bheep in the Puketoi in 1879, It was again urged by Mr Sutton It was repeated by the Masterton Scab Committee, and now they had it from the Superintendent Inspeotor himself. But now not only is it admitted by the Superintendent Inspector, but sheep farmers from this cause alone have been harrassed to a degree that borders on malice, and actually charged for fenoing timber taken off Crown lands for fenoing out soabby sheep. .If.there.isany truth in Mr Buohaban's statement that there is an annual loss of £200,000, and if there 1b an; reliance to be plaoed in Inspector Bayley's diogoosis as to the cause of the increase of scab, it beoomes the duty of the Government to take steps to have the wild sheep destroyed. There must be something wrong with the administration of the Act, for if passed for the protection of sheepowners instead of accomplishing its legitimate objeot it not only signally fails but is used as a weapon to harrass and intensify the evil'it was intended to remedy,

The resolution was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously. Mr R. Meredith moved—That the noneradication of scab in North Wnirarapa is largely attributable to the maladministration of the Sheep Act by the Department, and that the Government be asked to hold a searching enquiry into the working of it; and that our representative be requested to use his utmost influence to further this object Id Biipport of the resolution he said he knew of several cases of importance, but would select Mr Harvey's case on private grounds, and the administration of the branding on general grounds, Mr Harvey's agent purchased sixty rams for Akiteo. North run. The north boundary of this run is the fence that divides Hawke's Bay from the Wellington District, The rams passed through several subdivisions in Hawke's Bay, and arrived at the boundary. Inspector Munro accommodated the rams in the quarantine ground until seven days' notice had expired given by Mr Harvey to Inspector Drummond under Section 40 of the Act. Inspector Munro examined these sheep on their arrival, also when put through the boundary gate on to their own ground; Mr Paiaely, Inspector for Hawke's Bay, hearing that the the rams had gone out of his district, and there being no olwe in the Act providing that olean sheep •shall have a oertifioate, and Hawke's Bay being clean, and knowing the strong proclivities Inspector Drummond had for technical questions, he (Mr Paiaely) wired Inspector Drummond that a certificate would.be sent by mail. Mr Drummond summoned Mr Harvey, who was fined £lO and costs for driving from a clean distriot through the boundary gate without a certificate notwithstanding that there wa,s no seotion that dean sheep before the passing of this Act shall have a certificate; notwith* Btandjng tnat Inspector Munro examined the sheep on arrival, that they were in his paddock over a week and that Mr Drummond had seven day'B notice of the day they would cross the boundary. It was oleatly Inspector Munro's duty on seeing that the regulations of the Act were complied with, to give Mr Harvey a cer« tificate when he first examined the sheep, It was Inspeotor Drummonds duty to have examined, upon coming into his sub-division to see if the Act was complied with, Therefore tbo onus of the regulations not being complied with rested on the two Inspectors and not Mr Harvey. It was in Mr Munro's power to give a certificate, and Mr Drummond's duty.to have endorsed it, but not being compelled by Aot Mr Drummond took advantage of this point to get a fine and having obtained a conviction has not supplied Mr Harvey'with a certificate for the rams, beoause he sayß they now come under the A kiteo certificate as Boon as they were put on tke run. These faots did not come out in evidence or he thought'Mr Wardell's decision would have been reversed,

BRANDING WITH ARBOW. . i This brand is only to be used on sheepjl Bent by sea to another district. The Act says the official brand of the chief inspectors' shall be used exclusively by all inspectors' within suoh chief inspectors' district, rail the manner as may be appointed by this! Aot, or by direction of the chief inspector of: the district. We have no chief inspector for, this district so sub-inspectors have no! authority for withholding a permit unless! the sheep are branded with arrow, which

they have done in two oases when I have been the purchaser. In the last caBO I refer to some sheep I bought from Mr W, Andrew, I had oi,ly to drive these sheep eight miles. ; Mr John Gross seconded the resolution.

Mr F. Maunsell said he hoped the resolution would be withdrawn, it was introducing a question foreign to the meeting, and he feared it would reflect on the inspectors, who lie considered efficient men. On previous occasions the result of these meetings had been the removal of inspectors and he feared the present resolution was aiming at tin same course. He did not wish to more an amendment, but trusted the resolution would be withdrawn, if not he must vote against it,

Mr Maokay said he would support the; resolution on broad grounds, It was not the intention to attack individual inspectors by asking for an enquiry, and ho would be no party to. any such proceeding. An enquiry would do good. All sorts of roports affuctint; both the characters of Inspectors and Bheepowners were abroad, and he felt that for the sake of all parties these things should be cleared up. If ihe officials had done their duty and carried out orders issued from a central authority in a pioper manner, they had nothine to fear. If there had been maladministration by the department, by all means let it be sifted out from whence it arose* The saddle should be put on the right He had always strongly objected to ifßAct like the Sheep Act being administered from'the big buildings in Wellington, There was too much ,fed tapeism and too little sympathy shewfe'to struggling settlers. He believed boards representing large arons would worksudh'an Act much more satisfactorily. He trusted' the meeting would carry the resolution... Mr W. fl, Beetham said he would -not support the motion as he considered it would refleot on the inspectors; and Mr Drummond was dobg good work.

Mr Telford would like to sea the word maladministration struck out,

Mr Walker would support the resolution. It was not meant as a reflection on the local inspectors, 'IE there, was, blame it was on. those who worked behind them. He would" oppose.the word maladministration being struck out. ' .

Mr Mackay said he could not agree to the word being expunged. If they asked for an enquiry it must be on some grounds, and those grounds were maladministration, Many settlers were of this opinion and an opportunity, should be given to clear the whole matter up and see who was right and who wrong..

;MrE. Meredith, junior, said that the inspectors ought to be glad of the opportunity, of vindicating their actions. An inquiry'' would do good on other grounds and tend to remove animosities, for oharges had been made against owners of sheep whioh were unfounded, and unless there was an inquiry these men had no chance of getting the true state of affairs before the publio The chairman said he did not wish to influence the meeting in any way, but,an inquiry had been asked for before and burked. He was certain an inquiry at the present time would do good, as practical sheepfarmera would then have an opportunity of suggesting alterations in the prenaut administration,

The resolution was then put and carried, there being six dissentients: ,' .*.-',''

Moved by Mr E, Meredith Jan., and seoonded by Mr Telford—That Messrs W, H, Eeetham E, Meredith, A. Walker, T, Mackay, i. Cross, T. Kitchens, F.'Maunsell, and J. Eandyside ba a committee to carry out the intentions of the foregoing resolutions, live to form a quorum,—Curried unanimously,

Moved .by Mr Mackay and seconded by Mr E. Meredith—That copies of all the resolutions passed at. this meeting be forwarded 'to members of Parliament representing infected districts, with a request that they will, 00-opeftte-with a -view to amendments being made in the Sheep Act in terms of the foregoing resolutions, and. also to obtain an enquiry into the administration of. the Act Within North Wairarapa, •A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the business of the meeting. Subsequenty;the;.'oommitteo met to consider amendments,