FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 15 September 1930, Page 10

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.

OUTBREAK AT HOME. THE STOCK EMBARGO. ' Threo fresh outbreaks of ioot-and-mouth disease among stock in Britain have been reported to the New Zealand Government by the High Commissioner (Sir Thomas Wilford). Commenting on this development on Saturday, Mr H. D. Acland, president of tho New Zealand Sheepowners' Federation, said that the information regarding a recurrence of the disease had been reported to him by Dr. C. J. ReaKes, Director of Agriculture, who stated that three instances of stock being affected in Yorkshire on September 6th and 7th had been noted. This, said Mr Acland, should he suificent confirmation of tho wisdom oi his Federation in passing a resolution at the annual meeting on Friday pro testing against the lifting of the embargo on British stock. Ho criticised the statements made by Mr J. J. Cridlan, of Gloucester, England, about the quarantine restrictions, pubiisheu in The Press on Saturday morning. "I feel sure that the great majority of tho sheepowners in tho Dominion are behind the Federation in its objection to the lifting of tho embargo,' said Mr Acland. 'The fact that the disease has recurred should bo a sufficient answer to those stock-breeders and to Mr Cridlan, yvho want the restrictions relaxed." It was altogether too dangerous to take such a step. Mr W. H. Nicholson, secretary ol the Canterbury Sheepowners' Union, supported Mr Acland's remarks. "We have repeatedly urged that the risk is too great for the embaro to be raised," lie said. "'The Dominion depends for its very life on the maintenance of a clean bill of health for all its stock. This country has already had some experience of the indiscriminate importation of animals in the introduction •of rabbits and other pests, which were not supposed to do any harm."