EMBARGO ON STOCK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 165, 26 April 1935, Page 5

EMBARGO ON STOCK

ITS REMOVAL OPPOSED.

FARMERS' UNION UNANIMOUS.

DANGER OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.

By a unanimous yote, the Mid-Can-terbury Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union this _afternoon decided to oppose the lifting of the embargo on the direct importation of stock from Great Britain, as it feared the advent of foot-and-mouth disease into the dominion and the consequent devastating effect on the stock of this country. The president, Mr Raymond Oakley (presided). '■ ,i,' The Minister of Agriculture (tne Hon. C. E. Macmillan) wrote advising that the Government was considering 1 the lifting of the embargo on the direct importation of livestock from Britain. Before any final decision was arrived at it was desired to have the views of'farmers themselves, and the,Minister sought the executive's opinion on the matter. With proper precautions, it was considered that cattle, sleep and pigs could be admitted from Britain without risk of the foot-and-mouth disease making its appearance. In fact it was thought that with the proposed precautions there was less risk of the spread of the disease than there was at present. The Minister wrote at some length on the matter and gave reasons for the suggested lifting' of the embargo. Mr A. P. Bruce said he was still opposed to the lifting of the embargo .and he did not think any reasonable man in England would want it lifted in.the case of a country like New Zealand which was free from the disease. The English quarantine figures for last year showed that only 276 head, of stock was exported and New Zealand's share of this would not be sufficient to war r rant the lifting of the embargo. Australia was coming to New Zealand for its stud stock when it had free access to Great Britain, so the Dominion's stock needed no improvement. Mr Bruce moved that the executive express its opposition to the lifting of the embargo on the importation of stock direct to New Zealand while the foot-and-mouth disease is so prevalent in England. The motion also stated that a°quarantine station was- not warranted in the Dominion as the number of stock likely to be imported was very small. ~ tV This was seconded by Mr W. Ptenny.

The chairman said the Dominion ran a big risk lifting the embargo. Countries of an insular nature seemed to have an aoility to maintain a high standard of stud stock and this was' particularly noticeable in Jersey, where the cattle was\ still the best dairy type in the world and had received no new blood. He asked who would pay for the establishment of a quarantine station in New Zealand. With such few imports, it would not be worth the cost. The general taxpayers would have W> meet it, whereas it should be met by the importers. He supported the motion most heartily. Mr W. T. Lill supported the motion, stating that it would mean the ruin of the Dominion if the embargo was lifted. ' ■

Mr J. Carr stressed the seriousness of the disease and said no risk at all of admitting it to the country shoved be taken. He maintained that a quarantine station was just as necessary for a few importations as for a number and asked that the last clause be dropped from the motion. ■ • This was done, Messrs Bruce and Penny being in agreement. Mr F. G. Evans said the executive was beating the. air to some ' extent. He was in favour of the motion, but understood that the embargo was to be lifted in order to obtain a more fair deal for New Zealand meat and if this was the case New Zealand had little chance of having the embargo retained. Mr Bruce said the reason buyers of stud stock came to New Zealand was that the country was free from the disease. If it made its appearance here, that important outlet for stock would be immediately! closed. Tfte executive would have the support of 95 per cent, of the farming community it the motion were carried.

Mr C. &. Campion considered the lifting of the embargo would be "playing with fire." The motion was carried unanimously, and it was decided to convey this result to . the Minister and to the Dominion Executive.