SHEEP-FARMER’S CLAIM

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1939, Page 2

SHEEP-FARMER’S CLAIM

ALLEGEDLY POISONOUS DIP. [PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, April 17. Before Mr. Justice Northcroft and a special jury, a claim was brought to-day by Alan Grant, of Waimate, sheep-farmer, for £.1820 in special and general damages, against Cooper. MacDougall, and Robertson, Ltd., of Manchester, sheep-dip manufacturers, for alleged injuries to his Hock following the use of defendants' dip. The cause of action, according to Mr. W. J. Sim. .who appeared for plaintiff, was that Grant, dipped his stud sheep in dip manufactured by the defendants, according to the makers’ directions, arid some of his sheep were killed. Before coming Io New Zealand in 1913, said Mr. Sim. plaintiff had three times won the premier award for sheep-breeders in. Scotland, and had in South Canterbury built lip a. famous stud.

The dip, of which Grant purchased two live-gallon drums, was advertised as being especially suited for dipping sheep for show or sale, as it was claimed to give a “bloom" to the fleeces. The dipping was done in perfect weather, and Grant followed the manufacturers’ directions, added Mr. Sim. The sequel was catastrophic. 37 sheep dying, including 1.6 stud rams, and 156 were affected. The first to be dipped was a Romney scud ram, for which Grant had paid 100 guineas, and this was dead by 7 a.in. on the next day. A significant fact was that, it was the first animals dipped that died, these being unfortunately valuable- stud rams. The animals subsequently dipped suffered. but survived.

Expert evidence, would Im called to show that the sheep died from absorp\ tion through the skin of phenol and tar acids, contained in the dip. Evidence would be tailed also to show that the first sheep put into the dip absorbed some, of the poisons. < Proceeding). • .Y *7W