CATTLE DIPPING

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 49, 26 August 1931, Page 16

CATTLE DIPPING

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_The i3f6yernmeo.Ws-.!.r"efusal to' .reiin-burs^;-the -guarantors of cattle- as'so-■Q-ja.tifl.ns :in. ; respect.' .off tte-guarantees giy.en-^, them hV:hen.:the.dips -were being; constructed; .has.:, been .adversely commented uppnS.byvmembets .of the: -.Aueklaud provincial., executive,>.af... the Farmers! -Unipniartd.-a reply:to. tkeir allegations .lias..been made by the ."Min-" i?ter ■ of-.-. Agriculturje; (the.^ori. A.; J. Murdoch).,,)/ .:. ■..:..-, '-;.-.• ~.,,.,. ./{.

./;.':!". speaking upon this! question the : secretaEy,;of the. union ,is/ reported to have described tlio..iSo.vernment's:. action as 'repudiatiori? ,and '.dishonourable,':" said .Mr. Murdoch... ""As these ■stateniejits.;are-likely.-j-t.^y. create .an en.t.'.rely .erKonep.us; Jiinpveßsjon...as to' the Government's,; attitude --'.in -this •-■ matter, th..?v:...<:anii.ot; ,-be.v anpwedl --tb: .pass- unnptwe'd.:. .The facts. ,of-!-the case-are:as follows:— ■..■-■/. '.-"■. . ...,.../...

"In 1922 regulations under the Stock Act, 19Q8, were, onado requiring the dipping, of cattle,- ■ witK! 'application to certain .defined .areas'.in .the northern pbrtion.ofvtlie.Au.cklaiitl proviricu whicb wfre. ■ tick-infested;. - ',G : 4ttiq:'- infested -with tick or, which, hadi.been in cputact .with:./cattio-.!so,!infustc.d Ayerc required to be dipped at intervals of not ; more than twenty-one days during the period from the,lst September to 31sL^a.roh-.i"1: each year.; ; It was sub-sequently-.represented;that;it/ was."'not praGtieable .for io .comply i with this,-requirement;, and the regulations were therefore, amended to provide that eyery stock owner in the infested area shall do all that is reasonably possible to keep hls.stock free.from cattle tick, either, by dipping or treating with some oth^r- -effective. method, authorised by £ke^3S sP.??iprjv.'3'No; i c.attJe'imay';,.be;---re' moTed^fr.om.^the.rinfes.i^sace&.witiidut a/P^B^".|j?»;..*Pin?P?<?tpr authorising their removal, and'siicli' permit""is: issued subject to the stjclc being dipped arid removed from the. infested! area within thirty hours, after being' dipped. . "In order to provide dips to enable stock ; pwnefs to comply with th c regiilationsj. cattle- dipping,-{associations., were .formed- in yaiipus ; parta : >of; the infested .territory..-.Tie Gpvernnient granted a subsidy" of £150 towards, the cost of every! dip; construetedj" the balance: of the cost being met by the associations concerned, which-in some instances obtained the necessary funds by means of advances iroiri the' bank/.upon joint and several: guarantees given by some of the/settlers. ..-!.;•!; ;!;■':!'- :." ■ •'

. "In a .'number,'of-.-cases-the': revenue from the dips was insufficient to meet the liabilities, and upon the matter being placed; before the Government arrangements; were made , for: :a-close investigation, into:1 the £nancial,-position bf, veach-^Bp}ng;:agsA6Jatioa;;-,.-r.Th'iß.:.itt-quiry was^undert^keiii;by. ;.two officers representingrtheiTr.easuty'and.this Departßient -.- respectiyely.j... and! in; those cases- ,where. serious: - hardship: was apparent ! tho ■ .Government. -granted,: fue-. ther .financial'.assistari.ee by -.way; of ex gratia1-payments: ;->o;! /iVr:> '■-'• -t:-/ . ::. -.. "

'-No-pledge has ever been given by the 'present? Government.that it would liquidate the. -whole ni the liabilities of!^dipping assoeiatioris,. nor . can any, record be;'found:-.-of/::such! an. uridertak-. ing -haying, be;en; given: by the preceding Government;: eln; the:, cirevtmstances it.is/difficult' ; ta;appTeciata: upon what groijn.ds; the words inrcjuestion,can be justified,: •e'/.j.ft-:":.'/'::.?.. -ir, -v"..;. ■ ! ■^Asregaras/i-he/suggestion that the control of cattle tick should be treated as a national one, I would point put that.in the;c.ase of nbxiousXweeflSj.rabbitSj'fireblight, aiidali other pests and diseases the-responsibility^ for taking adequate - measures 'for ; their/control rests .upon t-he.'shoulder^-'••bfr'tn'bse within the affieeted..-';areasf pand^-there appea'i"S":.t6~'be;:ri'o>::cogerit .'reason for the adoption^, of/'-a'different .principle ;in" the case"of''caitle:;tick;*?-,/;/•;!. ""''•'.■.•;'"