PLEURO IN LOCAL CATTLE DOES IT EXIST?

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1223, 1 May 1880, Page 3

PLEURO IN LOCAL CATTLE DOES IT EXIST ?

TO THE EDITOR. Si r — It is, I think, time that the settlers in Waikato bestired themselves to remove the stigma cast upon if, and its herds by the reports of pleuro-pneumonia having broken out in so many places, and among other than imported cattle. I do not wish to blame the Cattle Board for their precautionary measures in declaring the district infected. They no doubt acted wisely in that. They seem however to consider their inspectors and veterinary to be infallible. I am open to correction, but if my memory serves me right, Mr leaden was mistaken and changed his mind regarding some of Mr Irelands cattle, near Auckland. He also declared Mr McNicol'B herd diseased, and has failed yet to prove it. In fact the beast he selected was killed and found to be healty in every respect. I do no blame the inspector for suspecting the cattle, but when the disease cannot be discovered or any trace after slaughtering surely common courtesy should prompt them to declare publicly their mistake, and remove the stigma from the farm and neighborhood. With regard to Cambridge township and Pukerimu, I do not believe a s'ngle beast with epizootic pkuro-pnvumouia has been discovered, certainly some have been killed and found suffering from disease, but if it wasepizootic pleuro-pneumonia, it can by all accounts be stated that that disease existedin this country if not for years ut least months before the Swamp Company or Mr Payne imported cattle from Australia. The cattle pronounced in the last stage of disease (a fung disease I have no doubt whatever) it has been publicly stated on "good authority, and is kno^vn to be true, have been sickly and ailing for seven or eight months, and even more. Neither do they appear to have mixed with any cattle infected with epizootic pleuro-pneumonia. The Cattle Board may be justified for killing cattle on suspicion (or even should they kill some of Mr Maclean's Devona) to ascertain if they were affected, but my humble opinion is that the Board should not consider their veterinary infallible, and should ascertain; settlers, also, might materially assist them in ascertaining how long these cattle had been ailing and other particulars which might proye very conclusively that it was not epizootic pleuro-pneumonia, and the stigma and loss of being an infected district might be removed. — I am &c, Subscriber.

The Duke of Cleveland, the owner of Battle Abbey and Raby Castle, and of many a broad acre besides, is now 77, and without direct heirs. It is a singular thing that the dukedom has only reached a second generation, although the present is the fourth Duke, the childless sons of the first Duke having succeedd one another,

A clebotman addressed his female auditors as follows: " Be not proud that our blessed Lord paid your sex the distinguished honor of appearing first to a female after His resurrection, for it was $nly that the glad fadings might spread the sooner."

Such Tbackedies Abb Am. Too Few :—: — A young man brought this in : " The palatial residence of John dmith, Esq., was lasts evening a blaze of light, the occasion being a recherche soiree in honour of the lovely Miss Smith's arrival home from the Academy. From early gloam«g -till 9 o'clock were the guests arriving. A t that hour all sat down to a most appeti^ipg repast, to which was given the close attention itso well deserved. The large parlors were cleared for the merry dancers at the conclusion of the banquet, and -until the wee sma' hours ayont the twal were reached fair women and brave men tripped the light fantastic toe in the bewildering mazes of the dance." (Etc., etc., etc., and so, forth,). When fnat young man got the paper, and found these words : " There was a dance at Smith's last night"— enly these and nothing more — he went out and hanged kiwwlf.— ito^cw Transcript,