TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1904. THE QUARANTINE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8096, 27 September 1904, Page 2

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1904. THE QUARANTINE.

It was to be expected that the Agricultural and Pastoral Association^ and the Farmers' Union would at their first meetings discuss the Order-in-Council quarantining this district in respect of the blackleg trouble. The difficulty, however, is that they had no opportunity of giving an opinion or making themselves heard on behalf of the farming and stock industry before the event. Virtually no warning was given. It is true that 1 the Chief Veterinarian had recommended the device of quarantine, but in doing so he expressed doubt whether even that vigorous measure would confine the disease to the particular part of the country quarantined, and if this were so then quarantining was at least discussable. The matter was on August 30 first brought before the Stock Committco, a committee set up by Parliament to consider all matters pertaining to stock and agriculture, and was dealt with in a quarter of an hour. The same afternoon it came before the House, and strange to say, on a matter so vitally affecting the interests of their constituents only one of the Taranaki members, Mr Symes, considered th.c drastic proposal of quarantine even worthy of remark. Mr Symth fopwjov.er, th^ngjst Jhe disease was kno^n to have /uxiat/ed jn Taranakf for the last nine or ten ypafs, and that if ordinary precautions had bpep taken it could never have spread as it had donp, nod that- now it was too late to quarantine. None of the other Taranaki members offered a word of comment* and as we venture to think failed to do their duty in the interests of their constituents. It is to be feared that it is too late to do anything just for the present, but the whole question should be carefully lookrd into with the view of seeing whether there cannot be some less drastic and yet effective nieasui9 of dealing with the disease.