IMPORTED STOCK

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 188, 7 May 1931, Page 8

IMPORTED STOCK

Foot-and-mouth Risk

FARMERS’ ATTITUDE

Although the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union maintained at its quarterly meeting yesterday its hostile attitude toward any lifting of the regulations governing the importation of live stock from countries where foot-and-mouth disease has been prevalent, the subject will be discussed again at the union’s conference later in the year. In the meantime a letter is to be written to the Prime Minister saying that the union is still in favour of the embargo remaining. and that if he has any intention of lifting it he should give the union an opportunity of putting its views before him. ... .. In connection with this question. Dr. C. J. Reakes, Director-General of Agriculture, addressed the executive meeting yesterday, and said that the stage had been reached when it was necessary to come to a definite decision regarding it. “Up to the point when the British Government established its quarantine station in London,” said Dr. Reakes. “I was like you, and felt that it was better not to lift the embargo. But the quarantine station has been in operation now for two years quite successfully. The place is run on very safe lines, and every precaution is taken, so that we can rest assured that no animal which is infected with, foot-and-mouth disease can leave that station to be exported. In our case, there is the additional safeguard of the long voyage followed by a stay in quarantine here. If the embargo is lifted we would not lift it in a free and wholesale way, but would start with a shipment entirely controlled by the New Zealand Government, and the fodder would be sent from here to be used on the way out. The whole thing has been very thoroughly considered by the Board of Agriculture. and it seems to me that it would bo quite sftfe to bring the stock out under very thorough precautions such as I have outlined.” , . The president, Mr. Polson,,m considering what course the executive should follow, said he was sure that any action they might take then would be a hostile one. Some discussion ensued, and it was mentioned that there was a possibility if the question was held over until the union’s conference that the Government might lift the embargo in the meantime. A delegate suggested that they were laymen and not in a position to express an opinion one way or the other, on the safety or danger of lifting the embargo. Mr. Polson doubted whether the executive realised fully the direfulness of foot-and-mouth disease. He had seen it in three countries. “If it got in here,” he said, “it would sweep through this country like a fire. It would ruin New Zealand and destroy our stock.” Mr. Polson did not think any Government would go so far as to lift the embargo without the approval of the union. It could either go over their heads or wait until the conference had been held. Their attitude at present was hostile. Later in the evening, three remits protesting against the proposed lifting, of the embargo, came before the executive. On the motion of the chairman, the -whole subject was left over until conference time. A letter is to be sent to the Prime Minister in the meantime.