Import of Hides

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 13

Import of Hides

Sir, —I was amazed to read last week in a correspondent’s letter in your paper that hides had been imported- from the Argentine into New Zealand. Such a state of affairs is almost incredible, but printed below the letter was an acknowledgment of this action by the Agricultural Department. However, the Department stated the shipment of hides had been taken charge of by its officers, conveyed to a tannery and disinfected. Now, Sir, every farmer and, in fact, fill citizens are entitled to ask whether the conveyance that carried these hides was also disinfected, also the boots and clothing of all who handled the hides. It was just as necessary that the above should have ‘been carried out as the treatment of the hides.

It seems to me the height of folly to have allowed these hides out of the ship) no matter what precautions were taken, -find I would urge that the further shipment now on the water be debarred from landing. Stock from Great Britain, a country much freer of this dread disease of foot and mouth than the Argentine, and also a country where every precaution is taken to prevent its spreading, are debarred from entry to New Zealand. It is just by such back-door methods as the importation of those Argentine hides that foot and mouth disease will gain a hold in this country —far more dangerous than direct imports of guaranteed stock from Great Britain.

Apart from the above considerations, surely there are plenty of suitable New Zealand hides available for manufacturers’ requirements?—l am. etc., N. A. P. SHERRIFF.

Taihape, Dec. 11. [The Department o f Agriculture states: “In the case of the horse hides and sundried calf skins, which comprised the shipment referred to, the conveyance which carried them to the tannery was thoroughly disinfected. The concrete floor on which they were opened up was similarly disinfected, and all wrapping material was burned. Those handling the hides and skins wore gloves, aprons and gum boots, which were also disinfected, and, as before stated, the hides and skins themselves were immersed in disinfectant Your correspondent may rest assured that the department took very thorough precautions. As stated in ‘The Dominion’ on December 13, later research in animal disease has shown that horses are not susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, though in earlier times it was believed that they were to a slight degree. *■ The horse hides were treated here, however, as a precaution against possible outside contamination.”]