THE ALLEGED SCAB CASE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1048, 13 March 1879, Page 2

THE ALLEGED SCAB CASE.

Sir, — I fail to see how Mr Jolly or the public can regard his being thrown over by the club, as being anything but an act of treachery. The alleged reason is about the worst that could possibly be chosen, that of Fergusson' s swearing to having seen a living insect moving. Tho club was not ashamed to make this the excuse for not proceeding further in the matter-*--Surely those members who took this viajw of the question, must reckon a man's ability to detect scab insects according to the number of years he has lived in the world. If so, they will not wonder that this man, who says he has had forty years experience among sheep, saw what Mr | Lewis, who was examining the sheep at the same time, did not see, namely, a living insect moving. It will be remembered that, when the case was first discussed by the Club, some members strongly objected to any action being taken, until a copy of the evidence was obtained, as it was thought that the newspaper report might not be correct. The following month was fixed upon for its further consideration, the Secretary being instructed to write for a copy of the evidence, and also to Mr Lewis, inviting him to meet the Club. The Court refused the request of the Club, but Mr Lewis, who accepted the invitation, was more fortunate. He brought the depositions with him, and read them to the Club. How, on that occasion, the part of the evidence which is now thought so conclusive that, to call it in question now, would subject the Club to ridicule, escaped notice, is, to say the least of it, matter for reflection, especially by those members who think I was not dealing openly with the Club, in pointing out so important a matter, before the deputation was appointed to wait on the Minister of Justice. With regard to open dealing, I have nothing to say. But, to the charge of not doing my duty in not drawing the attentisn of the Club to so grave a particular, I plead entirely guilty. That, in not pointing out the nature and consequences of such evidence as this man gave, showed that I had not the ability to see that I was overlooking a point significant enough to damn my case. It is true, I never dreamt that the evidence of a man, of whom the public knew nothing, who may be all that could be desired, or, the reverse, would be used as a pretext, by honourable men, for withdrawing from an embarrassing position. I have always thought that Mr Lewis, and the other paid servants of the public, were the only persons we had any right to question. It seemed to me that the Inspector was the person who should have dictated and produced the insect, if it was there. In defence of this view cf the case, Mr Peacock, the Hawke's Bay Inspector, who is one of the oldest, if not the oldest officer in the Colony, and who has kept that Province clear of scab for the last 15 years, in answer, by telegraph, to this question by me : " Would you condemn sheep as being scabby, without seeing insects," he replies, " In its early stages, certainly not, and, in any stage, the acari should should be easily detected, and produced." That judges of soab are sometimes mistaken, was shown by Mr Lewis and his witnesses. Mr Lewis once mistook a slight discoloration of the skin for incipient scab That was before he studied the disease scientifically, fergusson, too, must, I should think, have made oven a closer scientific study of the disease than his chipf to be able to see an insect moving when the other man saw nothing. Fergusson, however, " had known judges of scab make mistakes-— not good ones." Howard admits that ho has known goud judges of scab to mako mistakes. I don't think, however, that he and Trotter could have brought science to boar on the case, because Mr Lewis says that scab wounds have a greenish look, unlike scars. Trotter described this as " pale red ;" Howard — " reddish brown." Mr Lewis informs Mr Jolly that he has had no instructions to examine his sheep-^that, in fact, ho has nothing to do with them, a certificate from Mr Runoiman being all ho needs to move them where he likes. Has Mr Lewis forgotten that the sheep he condemned wero pronouueed free from scab by Mr Runoiman ? Let us suppose that some of the sheep have yet wounds such as Mr Lewis saw and swore was scab. It must be remembered that Mr Jolly's sheep*h%_ been attacked by dogs, and a great manv killed and wounded, Could Mr Lewis honestly allow them to pass unnoticod p If not, what is the value of h s assertion that Mr Kuncinxan's certificate is all Mr Jolly needs to take hia sheep where he likes. Would any man in his senses under those circumstances place himself a second time in a position that might lead to utter ruin? Is there a man in tho district watching this case from the beginning who has not felt ashamed to see an honorable man, struggling for his rights, thrust back at every turn by the hand of those whose duty it is to protect the innocent and punish the gui Ity j- Why has the promised commission been withheld ? Surely, if the Committee saw a reason for granting it, the Government had no right to withhold it. The Com** mittee were not misled as to the whole facts of the oase ; the printed depositions were before them to judge for themselves. Why, after having promised the deputation that he would send Mr Lewis up to inspect Mr Jolly's sheep, has the Minister of Justioe not kept his word P Will you not, sir, again take up your able pen in defence of Mr Jolly. By doing so, I am sure you will have the thanks of all lovers of " a fair field and no favor,"— l am, &c, Francis Hiojss, Cambridge, February 7, 1879.