MYSTERY OF BUSH SICKNESS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 815, 12 May 1910, Page 5

MYSTERY OF BUSH SICKNESS.

: MINISTER INYESTIOVI'ES. , [By TelCEraDn.-PrcssXasncliiHon.i- ■ Auckland, May 11. The Hon 'I'.-Mackenzie (Minister for Agriculture) has lj«?n visiting Jlamaku and Qkoroirc yesterday to investigate Die question of "bush sickness ,, which has cj-used a great number. of. settlers in these districts considerable anxiety.

•It is said that over 1,000,000 acres of g'iocl land is aft'ecteil by this mysterious disease/ which, so far, has battled all efforts to overcmie i l . At the. meeting at Mamaku, nlxmt 00 settlers met tho Minister soniD tnu-ollius 50 miks and more to bo present. After the meeting, at which a ileal of inform.itini was Jirthcor.. ; -ig, thi.Minister trn'-evsp'l o-'tr 30 hiiles-of the afiected. district, and was Diet at Okoroirc by settlers living in t!ie neighbourhood of. that place. • At this meMing. ■«!= at. tlmse held nt Mauiakaii and Kotorua, a ■ great deal, of valuable infoniinti m »us fji.-enby Ihe settlers nreent regarding tho effects of the tiuuhU', its history, and what had bten trioil to eoiiibat it. It. was slated that the 'efforts made b.v tin; settlers bad been almost entirely iinsiiroessful. The Minister, who is Inking a voi.v keen interest in the matter, '■ realises the seriousness of Ihe situation, and has prnjniseil to carry out a series of experiment?. He was accompanied by liis Departmental . officers,, under Mr. iieake*. the chief veterinarian, and it is hoped that, by well-thought-out plans, it may be possible to do something to correct the evil. Mr. Macdon.ild, member for the Bay of Plenty, who is accomp.-.nyiiig the partv, states that, if anything could bo found- to overcome (he difficulty, the value of Iho land affected will be wortji ft, le?st Svo Uiillions more.