H.—2

55

It was decided to consider the report clause by clause. Clauses 1 to 15, inclusive, were confirmed. Interchange of Australasian Animals. Clause 16 was passed as printed. Clause 17 : " Unclean vessels." The Chairman said it had been suggested that this clause went too far, as it was thought that vessels coming from an unclean colony might be admitted if they had had no unclean stock on board. Mr. Tabaet said they knew of vessels going to an infected colony : how were they to know that they had not taken scabby sheep on board ? Mr. Eitchie said that at the present moment all the Australasian Colonies except Tasmania were barred in the way of cattle. New Zealand steamers were continually trading with those colonies, and if no provision were made to meet the difficulty these vessels would be deemed unclean. Mr. Tabaet said it was a matter of great importance to Tasmania, for they had steamers belonging to one company which had traded with Western Australia and then come to Hobart to pick up sheep for New South Wales. Tasmania had always prohibited them, and would not let them in under any condition whatever. He thought that where a steamer travelled to a port which was unclean that vessel should be tabooed. Clause 17 agreed to. Mr. Beuce moved, " That the following new clause be added after clause 17 : ' That no stock, ■other than sheep, shall be imported by vessels that have, within the next preceding three months, had on board any infected stock, or any stock from any colony or country other than a clean Australasian Colony ; and the captain of the vessel shall, when required, make a declaration to that effect: Provided that cattle may be imported into any colony for immediate slaughter in quarantine, and under proper quarantine regulations.' " Mr. Eitchie seconded the motion. Mr. Tabaet moved, " That the word 'infected' be struck out."—Negatived. New clause agreed to. Clause 18 : " That all stock intended to be landed shall be accompanied by a declaration from the owner, and a certificate by the Inspector or a qualified veterinary surgeon at the port from which such stock were shipped, that they are not infected, and had not during the next preceding twelve months been infected, and that they are from a clean colony." Mr. Eitchie moved, " That after the word ' infected,' in the fourth line, the words ' and that' be deleted, and the words ' also that, unless they are intended for immediate slaughter in quarantine, as provided by last-preceding resolution,' inserted." Agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. Clauses 19 to 25 passed as printed. Miscellaneous. Clauses 26 to 41 passed as printed. Clause 42 : " Colonial stud-books to be kept." The Chaieman moved the addition of the words " and associations of stockowners " after the words " agricultural societies." Mr. Boag seconded the motion.—Agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. Clause 43 passed as printed. Clause 44 : " Measures for dealing with the rabbit-pest." The Chaieman moved the excision of all the words after " New South Wales," and the sub--stitution of the following words : " and, as altered by these resolutions, be the measures recommended by this Conference for dealing with the rabbit-pest."—Agreed to. Clauses 45 to 49 passed as printed. Clause 50 : " Precautions against the introduction of the gad-fly." Mr. Beuce moved, " That the following words be added to the clause : ' and that warbles (GSstrus bovis, or gad-fly) should be included among the diseases to be dealt with by the several Australasian •Governments.' " Mr. Tabaet seconded the motion.-r-Agreed to. Clause as amended agreed to. The remaining clauses of the report were adopted. The report as a whole was adopted with a few unimportant verbal amendments. Inspection op Maoei Sheep. Mr. Eitchie requested permission to read the following telegram, received from Inspector Hull, Wanganui: " Just arrived from trip. Examined all flocks to head of river, and found everything satisfactory." Embargo on the Steamee "Tasmania." Mr. Beuce moved, " That, as the subject of this letter has already been dealt with by the Conference, the substance of the resolution adopted be communicated to Messrs. Huddart, Parker, and Co., and to the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand (Limited)." Mr. Tabaet seconded the motion.-—Agreed to. (See page 45.)