STOCK DISEASE AND THE EMBARGO

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 124, 19 February 1938, Page 8

STOCK DISEASE AND THE EMBARGO

Whenever the movement in New Zealand for a relaxation of the embargo on the importation of stock from Britain has appeared to have won widespread support it has received a setback by news of a fresh outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Europe. During the last session of Parliament, for example, the member for Riccarton stated a convincing case for lifting the'ban, emphasising the importance of the infusion of new blood into the country’s flocks and herds. Mr. Kyle had hardly concluded his speech before the cablegrams reported a serious foot and mouth epidemic among British farm stock, and in Central Europe. A spread of the disease to New Zealand would be a calamity. The decision of the New Zealand Dairy Board conference urging the retention of the restrictions was therefore only to be expected. Stock is, of course, imported from Britain, but only by roundabout ways and costly means involving elaborate quarantine regulations. The apprehensions of those who fear the transfer of .the disease to the Dominion are naturally increased when its ravages in Europe are examined. Professor J. Basil Buxton, principal of the Royal Veterinary College, in a recent letter to The Tinies, stated that the wave of virulent disease was introduced into Frappe in May and June last year and spread rapidly to Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and Britain. At its peak there were 32,808 outbreaks in France, 14,098 in Belgium, 11,739 in Germany, and 64 in Britain. From June to November the total of outbreaks in Britain amounted to a little more than 100. The disease was checked by the Department of Agriculture’s vigorous policy of destruction of live stock wherever the malady appeared. The result was that it did not in Britain assume anything approaching the disastrous epidemic of 1922-24. “It is not known definitely whether birds are naturally susceptible to foot and mouth disease,” said Professor Buxton, “but there is strong presumptive evidence that they can carry the virus mechanically. The disease became most widespread at the time of the autumn mass migration of birds, particularly starlings, from the Continent to the eastern and south-eastern counties of Britain.” This view was mentioned by Dr. John Hammond, of Cambridge University, in reply to a question by a member of the Dairy Board conference. At the same time he pointed out that foot and mouth disease was'not malignant in Britain. The United States and Canada, he said, had been importing stock from Britain for a long time. There had been no outbreak in North America. In any event, as Dr. Hammond demonstrated, English regulations provide a safeguard by insisting that Britain must be free of the disease for three months before any stock exports are permitted. Lord Bledisloe, a firm advocate of the removal of stock import restrictions by New Zealand, has shown that the risk of transfer of the disease to the Dominion through British bloodstock is remote. Reports of the ramifications of foot and mouth disease in Europe naturally do not assist the argument of experts of the standing of Lord Bledisloe. Yet there is little or no evidence that stock importations have been responsible for the introduction of the disease to clean countries.