BONES AND ANTHRAX

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12592, 7 September 1906, Page 8

BONES AND ANTHRAX

Mr McQueen moved:—That the proeenst arrangements of the Government in rojrar:! to the importation of boiwe is considered wholly unsatisfactory,, and realising the increasing danger to the public from anthrax, tho Government be urged to prohibit the importation oi' boiwfc until they can be sterilised at, or adjacent to, the ports of landing." The farmers, he said, would never be satisfied with aJiy sterilisation that was carried out outside the colony, and over which they could not themselves exercise supervision. (Hear, hear.) Tho best plan would be to put the onus of sterilising o<n the merchant who sold the hones, and provide that the sterilisation must bo carried out to the satisfaction of the Department. The President eaid the importation of bones was not necessary to New Zealnmd. This was a vory big subject and he hoped the Minister would give his oareful attention to and consider it only from a public point of view. Mr Jonee (Canterbury) said if bor.edust was not n•i-.ees&ary lie was sure the Union a>s a whole would support the Minister im prohibiting the importation of bonedust altogether. (Hear, hear.) Tho Minister said he realised ac fully as anybody the results of the eproad of anthrax. 'He would carefully consider tho matter, and see if anything could be done to have the inspection carried out. so as to remove any feeling of uneasiness in regard to the way in which the work was performed. It was a vory serious tiling to prohibit the importation of bows altogether, unless it was the general desire of all concermed. Tho motion was carried. SMALL BIRDS NUISANCE. Various remits affirmed that the Government should offer a bonus for the best method cf dealing with the small birds -nuisance, that local bodies should keep the nuisance in. check, that the Cojkirtial Treasurer 'be requested to introduce to the colony a natural enemy to sparrows and linnets, and that local bodies should be. compiled to pay a wniiform price for the destruction oF small birds.

Mr Wilson (Canterbury) eaid that the trouble was that 'a good poison was only effective at first. _ Once the birds got accustomed to poisoned grain they avoided it. Mr McLonmian urged' that the townspeople should be tnxed for the suppression- of small birds a.nd valuable money prizes offered for the biggest collection of birds heads. In five years he reckoned tiltat tlve email birds would be «> reduced that they would 'not be a trouble for years to come.

iMr Jones (Canterbury) urged that a solution of the difficulty would be tn rompol all local 'bodies fo pay the same head money. It also appeared, he eaid that the trapping of birds was a profitable undertaking.

Mr Ritchie said the Department had the matter under consideration, and no doubt the Bill would contain some such proposal as Mr Jones had put forward. Systematic action was the eolation of the difficulty. It would be better to divide the colony into districts, and put each district into the hands of a committee, whjch would carry out systematic poifionTnig operations. It -would be better to leave it to the local body than the farmer. He would alw make it arc offence far a householder- in town to allow a small bird to breed within a certain radhw of bis house. The Council expressed satisfaction with Mr Ritchie's proposals, and it requested the Government to compel al' local ibodies to pay a uniform price for the destruction, of email birds. NOXIOUS WEEDS. A .number of Temits in regard to noxious weeds were then dealt with. The first one, from Auckland, laid down the principle that inspectors should be given power to enforce tho law without permission from Wellington. " Mr Ritchie stated that arrangements had 'beem made, and the motion was withdrawn. Mr MfoQueen moved <a Southland remit, tirging that more attention be paid to the destruction, of noxious weeds on Government lands. This, was agreed to. GAME. The subject of game was brought up by Mr Phillips (Auckland), who moved: —"That no body, Government or otherwise, shall liberate game (birds or animals) in , any district without tho consent cf the settlers of the acclimatisation district in which it is proposed to liberate the game." The farmers, he thought, ought to have some voice in the introduction of deer by the Tourist-Department, but his chief complaint was about the hares in the Auckland district. Mr McQueen urged that the consent of the Farmers' Union should be first obtained, as the farmers were the ones who suffered most from any mistake. With this amendment the motion was carried. FORESTRY. Mr Forsyth' moved c Taranaki remit tlat the Government would greatly benefit tike colony by encouraging the "planting of shelter trees. Mr Scott desired to add that plantations should be exempt from local taxation. Mr Leadley said the. late Premier Iwid promised them that concession, and to give them trees for nothing. Tiie motion was agreed to. On the motion of Mr Phillips (Auckland) the Council also expressed approval of tree planting by prisoners on waste lands. CONFERENCES. It was proposed in a Nelson remit that arrangements bo made for the holding of annual or bi-annual conferences with employers' federations, trades and labour unions, and farm labour unions, with a view to removing tho supposed antagonism between tho different organisations, and to generally bring about a better understanding. The motion was oppoeed by one or two members on tho ground that no good would Ik? likely to result from conferring with liilx)iir unions, and eventually it was withdrawn. THE SECRETARY FOR LABOUR, Mr McQueen (Southland) moved:— "That this 'Touncil strongly protests against the .action of Mr E. Tregoar, the Secretary for Labour, in giving eucli views as lie has through the publjo Press, of being Admittedly in Socialism, and opposed to employers of labour, and therefore expresses the opinion that it is not in the interests of tho community that he should continue to hold the position he doe*, as he cannot administer the labour laws of the colony in fairness as between the employens and workers." Mr Tregoar, lie said, seemed to think it was a calamity that the workers were satisfied with what they had gained. Tho motion did not meet with, much support. om» member remarking that it would Ije giving an undue , importance to Mr Tivgear'e utterances, and it was withdrawn. THK REFERENDUM.

On the motion of Mi , I,amj>ie (Tnrannki), the Council decided t<7 offer its

unqualified opposition to the proposal to introduce the referendum. This concluded the proceedings of the Council.