SOUTH AUCKLAND CATTLE BOARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1254, 13 July 1880, Page 2

SOUTH AUCKLAND CATTLE BOARD.

A meeting of the Board was held at the Farmers' Club, Cambridge, 6n Saturday, when there were present Messrs E Maclean (chairman), Fantham, Storey, and R. H. D. Fergusson. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read, Mr Fantham asked re the resolution passed at the previous meeting regarding McNicol's farm, why Mr Naden had not gone the y e on the day appointed with Messrs Storey s»n<i Pergusson. If his memory served him right, Mr Fergusson had said it was desirable that two members of the Board should accompany Mr Naden, and he volunteered to go himself. How was it that in the face of no vibit being made the restrictions had been rej moved from the whole district without the suspected stock being inspected ? No member of the Board was more pleased than he was at the removal of the restrictions from Mr McNicol's, but he did object to see resolutions passed and not carried out afterwards. Mr Fergusson said that Mr Naden told him he would not go to MoNicol's on any account, after his previous reception there. The minutes were then confirmed. A letter was read from Mr Naden, dated 14th June, stating that as his services were no longer necessary he would return to Auckland. The Chairman said Mr Naden left for Auckland on the day following the date of his letter, the day, in fact, when it was appointed that he should proceed to McNicol's. Mr H Reynolds wrote under date July 9th as follows :— " 1 applied to you for sanction to remove fat cattle from the Waikato Land Association property to market, or to move them from one portion of the property to another, and you referred me to the inspector. Having applied by letter dated 26th ult., as directed, I have received a memo dated 28th Juno in reply from which I subjoin, extract : — "I will not grant permit to remove any cattle from any part of the Waikato Laud Association property until such cattle have been declared free from disease and all restrictions removed. I also direct •your notice to Sec 26 of the Diseased Catla Act 1871." It is now some length of time since any disease has been detected on the property, and for the information of my directors I have the honor to request you will iuform me how much longer the South Auckland Cattle Board propose to retain the reetrjotiona on a pioperty which can no longer be considered infected. Mr H. Buttle wrote, resigning his position as a member of the Board. The Ch-iinnnn said Mr Reynolds would have to be referred to th<? inspector ; the Board could do nothing until the inspector, assisted by a veterinary surgeon, had declared the property free from infection, when they could of courso recommend the Government to remove the restrictions. This view was concurred with by Messrs Fergusson and Fantham, and a resolution to that eftect carried. The Chairman said the meeting had been called at the instance of Mr Fantham, who had some very important motions to briug forward. He had seen a copy, which he had forwarded to the other members of the Board for a written expression of opinion, aod these, together with his own, he laid on the table. The Clerk then read the several notes aa follows : —

siemotjandum:. In reference to the attached resolutions, prepared by Mr F.intham, tor the consideration of the South Auckland Cattle Board, I beg to observe that if legislation is necessary I do not personally teel called on to be the medium to be used for the purpose; if my colleagues of the Cattle Board think differently, I am quite willing 1 to bow to the will ot the majority. For the purpose of ascertaining their opinion I shall submit the resolutions to each member, and request their replies in writing. EVPRY iIACI.II W, Chairman South Auckland Cattle Board. Fen Court, 28th Juno, 1880. I agree with Mr Fantham in resolution No. 1, and think that it would bo an excellent tiling th.it all infected cattle should be so marked as ho pioposes, but would not recommend the Hoard to dictate to the Government. Resolution No. 2 I consider perfectly unnecessary if No. 1 be carried out. No. 3 appears to me to be rather a harsh measure and too severe, but I will jj'tve no opinion on it till I hear the subject properly discussed. Rouißi Fekglsson. Pukeritnu, ith July, 18S0. No. 1. I fail to see the object or good to be derived from passing this resolution. No. 2. I could not vote for tins resolution, being of too sweeping a nature altogether. No. 3I do not agree w ith at all. A person having no idea that hi> cattle arc diseased may become liable to a penalty. I t annot, therefore, approve of any of the resolutions. Hi'nkv Buttle. Woodstock, 3d July, 1880. I do not approve of any of the resolutions proposed bp Mr Fantham. C. J. SIOREY.

Mr Fantham then moved the following resolutions :—: — 1. I beg to move that the Government be requested to puss> an Act or Order in Counci, compelling owners* ot tattle in the Auckland Pro\inri.il Distru t to have all their cattle that are suffering from epizootic plcuro-pneumonia, or those tluit lia\e been buffering, or those th.it have mixed with diseased animal*, or those that h.i\e been inoculated within the last twelvemonths " branded with the brand known as the broad arrow," under the superintendence of Inspectors, in charge of districts. 2. Not to allow any cow, heifer, or bull that is suffering from epuootic pleuro-pneumonia, or those who ha\ c been so suffering, or those who have mi\ed with diseased animals, or those who have been inoculated within the last twehc months to be used for breeding purposes for a period of tw o yean* from date of certificate from the Inspector pronouncing them clean. 3. To alter the regulations as published in the A'rn 1 Zealand Gazette, No. 28, March 25th, 1880:— Tn.it any catte-owner, &c, &c, neglecting to gi\ c the notice required by law of the presence of disease on his farm or run to the Cattle Hoard or Inspector, shall render himself liable to a fine, not exceeding £25 sterling, for one diseased beast, and a further fine, not exceeding £5 sterling, for c\ery other animal, whether diseased or not, that has been running with a diseased animal in the possession of such owner or owners, Mr Fantham then spoke as follows to his resolutions : — My reason for bringing the following resolutions befoi'e the Board, is that I am firmly of opinion that it is absolutely necessary, not only for the future welfare and prosperity of the Auckland Province, but for the whole of the Colony, that either these or similar resolutions i should be made law. It is necessary to have sheep suffering from scab branded, it must be equally necessary to have cattle suffering from pleuro so distinguished. I have heard it said cattle that have been inoculated have frequently been known when slaughtered to have abscesses in different parts of their bodies — if such is the case this gives another reason for branding, so that purchasers may know the value of such stock and what they are buying. I have before me a paper, dated Melbourne, January 26th, 1880, signed Edward M. Carr, Chief Inspector of Stock, stating, cattle that have suffered from pleuro are liable to give the disease to others after they have to all appearance been perfectly healthy for six or even twelve months. Mr Carr, holding so high an official position in Victoria, should be an authority. Branding in this instance is very important, as owners of branded stock would be very careful not to let them Btray where they would by Uublo. tg iufecfc other pepphyg

cattle, thus rendering themselves open to .dnngcre. Branding would also put a slop to cattle that have been diseased being 1 smuggled to public sales, which you must all agree is highly desirable. With regard to my'"secnnd resolution: Take, for instance, Australia some twenty years ago. One imported ball was landed from England ; the animal was to all appearance parfeetly healthy, although some three months afterwards pleuro made it appearance. Inoculation at once became the fashion, wH^i, to my raind, has proved anything but successful, for in the comparatively short period of twenty-six years I question very much if there is one clean district in the whole of Australia, and it is very problematical if, under the system now obtaining, there will be in twenty-six years to come. To prevent the spread of the disease, infected cattle should not be bred from two or three years after they have been pronounced healthy. My reason for naming the period two or three yean? is, because I am under the impression that a cow carrying a calf and suffering from pleuro, although she may recover, will transmit the disease to her offspring. It would be a pity to destroy really good stock, and by allowing two I years to elapse from time of clean certificate, I believe it would be safe to breed from the animal again. Two years loss of time compared with the safety of the colony at large is surely trifling. I will just quote one instance to show the danger of using paddocks where diseased animals have been running. During the time of the prevalence of pleuro in this province, some 16 years ago, the contractors rented a paddock near Auckland, and turned infected cattle into it. The owner did not use it for nearly eight months aftea, when the cattle he had put into it broke out with pleuro. I feel sure if every effort is not made to totally stamp out this disease it will sooner or later spread through the whole of New Zealand. I will now shortly touch on my third resolution. The fines and penalties at present existing press too heavily on the poor man ; for the man with one cow it is ruin, while to owners of 200 head of cattle it is gain. The fines I have proposed are after very careful consideration, and I think meet the case fairly for both the large land proprietor and the man with one acre. I will now ask you to take these resolutions into your serious consideration, and I sincerely trust this Board will approve and pass them so that they can be forwarded to the Government with a strong recommendation for them to be favorably entertained. Some short time ago New Zealand was the only country in the world as far as I am aware, from a careful study of the public prints, that could boast of having no epizootic disease amongst its live stock, and if a little care and energy is now displayed, I have no hesitation in saying, we shall soon be able to repeat the same proud boaßt. The Chairman said he would second the motions pro forma so that they might be discussed. He gave Mr Fantham credit for an honest belief that the resolutions would be for the good of the Colony, but he did not consider that it was the province of the Board to dictate in this matter to the Government. He then proceeded to deprecate the manner in which their actions had been animadverted on by the Press. It ought to have been remembered that they were not paid servants. If fresh legislation were necessary — which he very much doubted — it should proceed from their members. He could not support the resolutions. Mr Fergusson said he did not wish to speak, because he knew he was liable to be misreported. Mr Storey said he was opposed to all the resolutions. Mr Fantham having spoken further in support, the motions were put and lost. Mr Fantham said he felt very strongly on the subject, and had made up hia mind to endeavour to get his proposals adopted by the Government. He had no doubt that his action would result in an inquiry being held into tne whole matter. It was a duty he owed to his family and to every mail in New Zealand to get the disease stamped out. After some further conversation the Board rose.