No ban on cattle

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 2

No ban on cattle

(from Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, < September 9. Australia will not ban imports of cattle from New Zealand when cattle from France are. imported through the maximum-security quarantine station on Somes Island. '

Official Confirmation of this has been received from Canberra, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Carter) announced today. Mr Carter said that the Australian Minister of Health had approved the recommendation of a meeting of senior State veterinary officers that no ban should be placed on the importation of cattle from New Zealand as a consequence of New Zealand’s intention to import French cattle through the Somes Island maximum security quarantine station. Mr Carter said that in Australia the Minister of Health was responsible for quarantine procedures, not the Minister of Agriculture as in New Zealand. Dr A. H. Carter, a geneticist from the Ruakura agricultural research centre at Hamilton, was at present in France to select and purchase 35 bulls of the Blond d’Aquitaine, Maine Anjou, Simmental, and Limousin breeds for evaluation under New Zealand conditions. “The Australian decision should allay the fears of some farmers in this country who have been concerned

that the development of our maximum security quarantine station might bring adverse reactions from our nearest neighbours at a time when our agricultural trade with them is expanding," Mr Carter said.

There had always been very frank and free discussion between Australia and New Zealand on animal quarantine procedures, Mr Carter said. The Australian decision once again confirmed the value of regular exchanges of views on such matters.

Still iff.—Mr C. V. Ensor, who was assaulted on August 21 when a group of youths gate-crashed a party in the house in which he was living, is still dangerously ill in Auckland Hospital.—(P.A.).