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time. I helped to put them in truck. Jin circle is my brand, and we ruddled them. Brand is an old tar brand at shearing time. Sixty-six were put in truck. Nothing said about scab previously. Fetched good prices previously ; lambs sold high. On Tuesday evening I received Mr. Hunter's telegram that the sheep were condemned for scab. Before receiving that telegram, I had no knowledge or idea that my sheep were scabby or infected. Had never treated them for scab. Scab had never been suggested to me by any one. Never dipped or bottled for scab. I applied stuff last August for bites. Several worries had taken [dace, but this time 18 were killed, and from 20 to 25 were dressed with Ellman's Embrocation ; some were wounded in the leg, some in the throat, ifec. ; bad wounds. The last lot I sent down were 50 ewes, 6 wethers and 2 lambs. It is more than two years since I bought sheep, except 25 lambs I bought at Hammond's sale two months ago. Two years since I bought any ewes. Never dressed any wounds except for bites or foot rot. No dressing such as described by witnesses, had taken place on my farm. Never saw scab or helped to dress for scab. I have lived on my farm for the last six months. No dressing done in that time. I cannot account for any peculiarity on this sheep. I believe the skin is here. I don't know that Mr. Joe May has seen it. I could not swear to this as the skin of one of my sheep. I understand this skin is saiil to be mine. Cross-examined by Mr. Brookfield. —Mr. May saw the skin on Saturday evening. I never examined my sheep for scab. Only know scab from hearsay. Never saw my sheep rubbing or scratching. Have been getting them up every week lately. I have 680 acres fenced in and sub-divided. My sheep have always been all together. I cannot say that I know of any sheep having strayed into my field. Sometimes some of Mr Cox's sheep come to mine and some of mine go to his. I think two or three of his were amongst mine when I last drafted. One has been two or three years amongst mine. A triangle is his brand. Ido not know the nature of Ellman's Embrocation. It has a milky look and aromatic smell. It causes a smarting pain. Sheep winced when dressed. I cannot tell if any worried sheep were sent down on the 29th April. I came to Auckland on the 30th of April from telegram. Sheep were then in Hunter ifc Nolan's yard about noon. I did not examine the sheep or have them examined. Two men were having them carted away. The men knew nothing more than that they were condemned. I went then to Papakura to see Mr. Hunter at the sale there. I did not know anyone to ask to examine the sheep. Re-examined by Mr. Hesketh. —l saw Lewis at Pokeno only for an instant. I never heard of Mr. Cox's sheep being scabby. Heard of no scab within three miles of Hamilton. I have used Ellman's Embrocation for horses as well. Twenty-five lambs from Hammond's were put among my sheep. John Short, Oralcau, sworn : —I was at Hunter and Nolan's saleyards when Mr. Lewis was looking at some sheep. I had seen Mr. Jolly before that, and just spoke to him, but am not intimate. I heard Mr. Lewis condemn the sheep of Mr. Jolly's, as scabby. I went and had a look at them. I could not see they were scabby. I could not see anything of the sort at all. Mr. Lewis then shewed one particular sheep to somebody. I went too, and saw him turn the sheep up and shew the places just behind the shoulder and hind leg. I think it was Trotter to whom he was shewing it. It appeared to me more like the bite ofa dog. I have often seen such a place when sheep, getting through a fence, tear the skin ; the flies get at it and maggots. This was not scab, had been done two months or more. Short wool was growing over the place again. I have seen plenty of scab in sheep in all stages, from beginning till in a great patch. My own sheep have had it three or four times. My father's sheep have had it. I have been amongst sheep all my life. Always had sheep for twenty years in New Zealand. I examined the place ;it was about the size of my hand. Neither place was scab. I can swear it was not. I examined the parts. The sheep took no notice as if it was scab. I pinched it up and looked at it. The skin was too soft for scab. The sheep took no notice ; if it was scab, tbey would have done. I told Mr. Lewis, at the time, it was more like the bite ofa dog. I said so to Hunter and others. I had some cattle in the sale, and took a look through the sheep. Assuming that it was scab, it would be visible on the skin now, had the sheep been killed that day. It would have taken two months to have developed so much scab. I did not go into the pen, but the sheep was turned over, and I left it. I looked at all the sheep, they were in three pens then. I saw Mr. Lewis make no observation, but with his eye. I felt and looked about the sheep, but saw nothing. Cross-examined by Mr. Brookfield : —I handled this one sheep. I did not use a glass at all. I had looked at the sheep before, and looked at them again when I heard they had the scab. Sheep rubbing about a post may communicate scab. Live three or four weeks or a month on a post. I don't know a book by Bruce, Chief Inspector of New South Wales. The growth of wool seemed two months old. Wound had not been done ten months ago. This had been done fresher than that. I drove some sheep in February that got into Mr. Jolly's farm, it was rough getting them out. I had not examined my sheep for some time before this. I drove along main road. I have heard say scab is caught by driving on a road after a scabby flock. I never knew it myself. I should think, in a fortnight from time of insect in wool, it would cause irritation in the skin. Re-examined by Mr. Hesketh: —My sheep were sold at Buckland's, in February. They were free from scab. I never heard they were scabby. Soon seen by wool ;it first turns white, and then pulls off. John Runcimau, sworn; Inspector of Sheep for Waikato, siuce 1866. I know Mr. Jolly's form. I inspected his sheep on the 4th of May, at his request- I saw about 250. I found no disease. No indication of scab. I gave a clear certificate. I found one sheep with a hard crust on the back of the neck, and two scratches. The sheep had the appearance of being two or three days dead, and a lot of maggots in it half an inch long. The skin was greenish blue. I traced the scar in the wool; it was a scratch that had been struck by flies. I only found this on one sheep. I saw a skin at Newmarket, Messrs. Clayton, and Jolly were present. I found no indication of scab on that skin. It is possible to be mistaken in a skin, so long after it has been taken from a sheep. I think, if it was scab, it would be found underneath the skin. I would expect to find it under the skin after six or eight weeks'. I found nothing under the skin only bare near the tail. I saw it last Friday. I have never called anything else scab. Neversawscabinsheepandcalleditanythiiigel.se. I have known old wounds and sunburns exactly like indications of scab.

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