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Sir J. Hall said he might speak for the farmers of New Zealand, and say that the paper would prove of great value, and be exceedingly interesting to them. Motion agreed to. Ordered, That the paper, together with the discussion thereon, be printed separately, for general distribution. Eemoval of Eesteictions on New Zealand Sheep. Mr. Beydone moved, "That, in view of the fact that no scab has been found to exist in sheep in New Zealand since the 30th June, 1890, and that during this period a regular and proper system of inspection has been carried on, this Conference recommends the different Australasian Governments to remove the restrictions at present in force against the importation of New Zealand sheep if after next shearing the flocks in the last-infected districts are on inspection found free from scab. The Conference also recommends that in such case the restrictions on intercolonial steamers be removed." The question of removing the embargo on New Zealand sheep had been so thoroughly threshed out the day before that he would not occupy the time of the Conference in speaking to the motion. They had come to an understanding, and he had no doubt it would be passed unanimously. He did not think the people of New Zealand were so anxious to get the embargo off their sheep for the purpose of trade as to get rid of the discredit which attached to the country. His own opinion was that New South Wales and Queensland would derive more benefit from the ports being free than New Zealand would, and that in some degree New-Zealanders would be parting with their patrimony if they sent their long-woolled rams to Australia to breed crossbreds for exportation to go against them in, London. But that was a narrow view to take of the question, and they wanted to be neighbourly. There was no doubt that the Australians wanted their rams, as he had had many applications for them. Scab could be eradicated, and with the energetic measures which had been adopted by Mr. Eitchie he would have discovered it during the past two years had it existed, but after doing his best he had failed, and they considered the time had now arrived when they should be relieved of the stigma of being scabby. It was upwards of two years since scabby sheep had held a place in the Gazette, and, considering that they had some seventy Inspectors scouring the country, they had every confidence that New Zealand was clean. Mr. Eitchie's good name was at stake, and they might rest assured that he was too cautious a Scotchman to risk that. Mr. Tabart was also a very cautious man, and very jealous for his colony; and the motion had been altered to meet his views by postponing the time to enable the shearing to be completed, and a final inspection made of the district last infected. He had no doubt that Mr. Eitchie would be able to gazette the colony perfectly clean, and that the gentlemen representing the other colonies would have every confidence in recommending to their Governments that the ports be declared free. Mr. Beuce seconded the motion. He did not want it to go forth that it was on this bare recommendation, and not after inspection, that the colony was declared clean. He might say that they believed the sheep were now clean because they had not shown any sign of disease for the past two years. It was to be understood that, in view of the fact that the sheep had been regularly inspected for two years and no disease observed, and that a further inspection would be made at the next shearing, the resolution would be confirmed. Mr. Tabaet asked if Mr. Eitchie proposed to accept the suggestion with regard to a concentration of the Inspectors in the last-infected districts. Mr. Eitchie said he had wired the previous morning to the Inspectors in Marlborough, and extra Inspectors would be sent from Wanganui and Nelson. He would put them all in that district ; and all that a man could do he would do. Motion agreed to. MOETALITY AMONG YOUNG LAMBS, AND " EED BAG." Mr. Coleman Phillips asked whether the members of the Conference could give any explanation of the cause of the mortality amongst young lambs in the North Island. Mr. Bidwill said that Mr. Overton had stated at the Christchurch Conference that he had lost lambs in the same way. Mr. Coleman Phillips said that for the last twelve or thirteen years some of the finest of his young lambs had died. He had asked for information concerning the matter, but could get none. The symptoms were these : The young lambs were pastured in a paddock, and when about six weeks to two months old they simply staggered and died, frothing at the mouth. For some years past they thought that the cause of death was a ball of wool in the stomach. Mr. Park had told him that this was not the cause of death. [Balls of wool taken from the stomachs of lambs were exhibited to members of the Conference.] He (Mr. Phillips) thought that changing the paddocks Would cure that. He had been of opinion that when the young lambs had reached the stage of eating for themselves they picked up the wrong kind of grass. He should be very pleased if any of the gentlemen from Australia would state if they had any experience of a similar nature over there. A great many people were anxious to get information about the subject. The Chaieman asked if the ball of wool had been found in every case in the lamb's stomach. Mr. Coleman Phillips said it had not, but a good many people in the Wairarapa had discovered it. He had not found it so, but it had been discovered by some of his neighbours. Mr. Boag had not heard of any unusual mortality in Canterbury. Mr. EiTchie said he happened to be at the Conference in Christchurch when Mr. Overton brought forward this matter, and Mr. Phillips and Mr. Matthews had spoken of the sairie thing. He had since had a conversation with Mr. Overton, who stated that this year he had not suffered any loss from this cause at all. That gentleman accounted for the absence of any unusual mortality by the shifting of the sheep to a different paddock. Mr. Eobeets did not know much about this matter. The description of the symptoms was so Jneagre that it would be difficult to say what the disease was. It might be caused through a
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