SUGGESTED BLACKLEG COMMISSION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9068, 14 April 1906, Page 4

SUGGESTED BLACKLEG COMMISSION.

In a telegram received from Wellington the other day it was stated that the Cabinet has under consideration the question of appointing a Commission to enquire into the prevalence of blackleg in Taranaki. , As .a result of the publication of the telegram in the press throughout the colony an impression seems to have got abroad that a violent outbreak of blackleg has occurred. As a matter of fact nothing of the sort has taken place. Indeed we are in a position to say that so far as the district for .some miles around Hawena is concerned tihe mortality as the result of blackleg has been very much leas this season than was the case last year. We are referring now to the deaths from tine disease contracted in the ordinary way, and not to the mortality which has unfortunately occurred, allegedly as- a result of the. inoculation remedy prescribed by the Veterinary Division of the Stock Department. It will be 'remembered that

when the deaths 1 were taking place recently urgent representations were made that the whole of the circumstances should be closely investigated, arid' it is probably due to this that tlie Government is now considering the matter. We think that something should have been done weeks ago. At tne time the subject was discussed by tihe Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union it was pointed out that either the vaccine or the vaocinatbTS were at fault and the demand was surely a reasonable one that the responsibility for the unexpected consequences' of the vacina- • tion should be fixed on the proper | shoulders* It was recently stated that Mr Bieakeb', the assistant chief veterinarian, had come to Taranakl for" the' purpose of enquiring into the reason for the mortality amongst calves. So far as we j know that report has not yet been rej turned but as soon as it is prepared we think it is only due to those who have lost j their stock that the results of Mr Reakes' J investigations should be published.