IMPORTING STOCK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 256, 10 August 1933, Page 7

IMPORTING STOCK

SHEEPOWNERS URGE CARE. THE DANGER OF DISEASE. (Special to the " Guardian.") CHRiSTCHURCH, This Day. Strong disapproval, of any attempt to relax the present restrictions on the importation of stock from ttreat Britain in view of the risk of introducing loot-and-niouth disease, was expressed by members of the Canterbury toheepowners' Union at their annual meeting last evening. in his address the president (Mr E. Hay) said that the statements made recently by tne Governor-General with respect to foot-and-mouth disease had caused deep concern to stocKowners throughout the Dominion. He urged that no possible risks should be taken of introduction of this scourge into the Dominion, in his opinion, no disaster yet experienced by iNew Zealand would be comparable in intensity to that which tne Dominion would have to face if footland-mouth disease became established here. \ The annual report, which was adopted unanimously, stated in this connection that the disease had not diminished in Great Britain during the past year, disquieting reports haying been received from England which showed that with all the precautions taken there for control, the disease had spread to an alarming extent. In spite of this, persistent references continued to lie made by interested parties to the desirability of the removal of the so-called embargo on importation of stock from infected countries. Not An Embargo. The existing restrictions did not impose a prohibition on imports of stock, but were merely precautions which were fully justified; the residence or observation detention period in Australian quarantine being an added safeguard which it was felt should not be lightly abandoned. ' The executive expressed its gratitude on behalf of sheepowners to the Hon. C. E. Macmillan (Minister- of Agriculture) for his assurance that it was not the intention of the Government to interfere with existing precautionary regulations under existing conditions.

It was felt that representations from persons who may be regarded as agents for the British stud stock breeders should not be acceped to (in view of the fact that should this" " disease appear in New Zealand, those advocates of the lifting of restrictions would possibly leave New Zealand to face its difficulties without any great detriment to themselves, and with nothing more than an expression of regret or sympathy with us in our troubles). The executive felt that if the present position was altered in any way it, should be entirely on the* responsibility of the Government through its departmental officers, and under no conditions should this responsibility be placed on NeW Zealand stock-owners, who were fully seized of the disastrous results -which would follow the appearance of this disease in the Dominion. The recent outbreak of swine fever in the Wellington district and the drastic treatment considered necessary by the Stock Department should be a sufficient indication of what stock-owners in New Zealand might expect should foot-and-mouth disease make its' appearance here. In the absence of definite guarantees of no risk of infection, the executive felt that no relaxation of the regulations should be allowed. A Terrible Scourge. A member wrote that, in spite of the emphatic statements to the contrary made by. the Governor-General, the writer considered that every effort should be made to have the present arrangement continued. If foot-and-mouth disease was such a trivial matter' as his Excellency's statements would imply, why was it that the British Government had seen fit to destroy 10,000 beasts and pay out* £IOO,OOO in compensation, an amount which represented only the butchering value of the stock and not its value as stud beasts. The writer considered that if the disease got into this country it would be very much more serious than it was in Great Britain.

A number of members expressed agreement with, the letter, Mr E. Hay remarking that in this comparatively •wild country, if foot-and-mouth disease once got a hold, it would be impossible to eradicate it. It was pointed out that in any case there was no embargo on the importation of stock from England. The restriction at present in force required merely a period for observation in Australia. Mr D. W. Westenra (Dunsandel) suggested that straw used in packing might be a source of danger.