THE OUTBREAK OF PLEUROPNEUMONIA. Public Meeting at Hamilton.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1223, 1 May 1880, Page 2

THE OUTBREAK OF PLEUROPNEUMONIA. Public Meeting at Hamilton.

A meeting of the inhabitants of the Borough of Hamilton was held yesterday in the Council Chambers, Hamilton, to consider the question of pleuro-pneumonia and the effect of the restrictions placed upon cattle-owners by the South Auckland Cattle Board. The Mayor occupied the chair. After a few introductory remarks from the Chairman, Mr William Jones moved the following resolution :—: — That in view of the serious incomenicncc and injury likely to result to the inhabitants bya continuance of the present restrictions imposed by the South Auckland Cattle Hoard, in their efforts to suppress a disease among cattle called pleuro-pneumonia, and owing to the effect ot the s.iid restrictions preventing cattle running on the waste lands of the Borough, it is desirable sonic means wore adopted to induce the Board either to relax or amend the samci The resolution was seconded by Mr William Davis. Mr Bradley could not agree with the wisdom of passing such a resolution. The restrictions had now only another eight or nine days to run, to the end of the month, for which time they had been imposed ; and, doubtless, if there was no fresh outbreak of the disease between then and now they would be taken off altogether. Every man interested in the Waikato, whether a cattle-owner or not, and especially the latter, must see the necessity for stringent regulations to prevent the spread of a disease, which, if it became prevalent, would bring not merely temporary inconvenience but absolute ruin to numbers amongst then). Tlje best way was to leave the matter in the hands of the Cattle Board, who aa individuals were quite as anxious as anyone else could be to have the restrictions removed if it could be done consistently with the public safety. The imposition of these restrictions might cause serious inconvenience to many, and perhaps be really injurious to some ; but it waa better for all that such inconvenience and loss should be endured than that a greater should fall upon them. He would move as an amendment— That no action be taken by this meeting in the matter. Mr Kennedy Hill said he would make a few remarks, for it seemed to him that the sa,ine measure of justice was not served out to Hamilton as to other parts of the district. At Alexandra, fqr instance, the people of the township were not debarred from running their cattle on the town lands, and he did not see why any distinction should be made in the case of Hamilton. There was no pleuro nearer than Burkes on the one side of the river, and the Land Association Company's estate on the other. He thought the resolution a very proper one, and one that if laid before the South Auckland Cattle Board would most probably have the effect of inducing then) to withdraw the restrictions as far as the Borough of Hamilton was concerned. Mr Manktelow, of East Hamilton, complained bitterly of the straits to which the cattle of the small settlers had been reduced through these restrictions. Cattle were penned up in small enclosures where there was litepflly nothing growing that they could eat. The consequence was that they broke dow n the fences, and were continually causing the owners to break these very regulations. Mr Bradley pointed out to the last speaker th.at guch persons were n,eedjess,}y

suffering, as it was not the intention of the Cattle Board that people should be debarred from driving their cattle to water. What was feared was that cattle wandering about the run might come into communication with diseased cattle. Mr Bradley's amendment being still nnscconded, Mr Jones, in reply, said he could see no objection to the passing of the resolution. If the resolution had been of such a character as to have had the effect ot taking the control of the cattle out of the hands of the Cattle Board he could have understood the amendment. All they asked was to be relieved from certain restrictions, which, they showed, pressed hardly upon them, and, in their case, were not at all necessary for the preservation of the public safety. The original motion was then put to the meeting, and carried unanimously. Mr Price then moved — That the Chairman of this meeting 1 be requested to forward the above resolution to the Chairman ot the South Auckland Cattle Board, with a letter. This resolution was also carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the Chairman, brought the proceedings to a close.