HAY AND STRAW.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18968, 5 April 1927, Page 10

HAY AND STRAW.

STERILISATION OF IMPORTS. FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE. Members or tiie Couuui oc ;!«' Chamber of Commerce ;ir-2 iu acco rd I with tiie regulations ~tada by :ue; Government with zlw ojjeet oc pro- •. tecting the Dominion a pos- j sible outbreak -,i: rooc-aud-iiiouui disease. At hut nights masting Mr W. Bottreii reported by: the importers" Committee. '"A meeting cf the Importer.,' Coin- j mittee was he!o last inciay afternoon ; for the purpois'i •:>£ considering the new ; uuuor the stock Act or j 11)08, which cuiv.a into torte oil the J 26th of March and v.'liicu prohibit the ; importation of- uav, straw, and * alf | from Great BritJii:, the Continent ot I Europe, and certain other specified j countries, unless subjected to a special ; sterilising process. l;i the absence oi > any evidence to the contrary, it _ was taken for granted by the committee that the unrestricted importation ot hav and str.-tw 11; to the iJominion from countries affected by inot-and-mouth disease actually constituted a danger of infection. m which case it appears to tiie committee that the regulations are mcst essential, while thev do not cause any serious disturbance to business beyond adding a. "iittle extra expense to certain lines of merchandise which are usuallv packed in bay or straw. It was, therefore, resolved to recommend to the Council that 110 action be taken to oppose the regulations, but. on the contrary, to commend the Department of Agriculture for its timely action. The introduction of foot-and-mouth disease into Xew Zealand would probably lead to disastrous consequences and might seriously altect the three main exports of the Dominion —wool, meat, -and dairy produce. It has occurred to the committee that the- unrestricted importation of seeds into the Dominion might also constitute a danger of infection, and for this reason the committee recommends to the Council that the attention of the Government be directed to this possible source of infection." The report was adopted, and the part relating to seeds was referred to the Produce Committee.