WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1935, Page 8

WELLINGTON TOPICS

A VETERINARIAN’S OPINIONS

PRACTICAL REFORM.

(Special to “Guardian.”)

WELLINGTON, February 7

Yesterday Mr Cyril Hopkirk, the officer in charge of the Veterinary Laboratory at Wallaceville, close to the Upper JdLutt, returned from the Congress of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the advancement of science at Melbourne > where he served as president of the veterinarj section of the gathering. Mr Hopkirk, who left the assembly with the high office and responsibility of Doctor, declared that the veterinary section ot the gathering was one of the largest of the kind he .ever had seen beiore. The whole Congress, he said, was of an exceptionally energetic nature, with several hundred members being present. Melbourne people-had tendered the most'cordial hospitality to visitors from all quarters. The next congress, Dr. Hopkirk said, was to be in Auckland in January, 1937, and it was too early for New Zealand to prepare suitable conditions for their friends’ welcome mud entertainment.

While in Australia Dr. Hopkirk, who has the knack of moving about and estimating the value of things, spent some time visiting institutes devoted in nutrition, veterinary science and experimental pathology. The Wan Institute and nutrition division of the A.C.S.ER. "ere of very special interest to iDr. Hopkirk a s were also the McMnster Institute where parasites were studied, and the Stenfield Laboratory which was similar in nature to the Wallaceville Laboratory in New Zealand. The division of animal nutrition and their investigations into animal disease, a branch which "’as dileetly under the control of Dr. J. A. Schmitt, were valuable sections of the A.C.S.I.R. and much useful informa-

tion uas being obtained in both sheep and cattle divisions. All this ; no doubt, is very interesting and useful to the professional experts, but to the mere, laymen it is a little beyond his conception.

l)r Hopkirk, with professional candour, admitted that the veterinary institutions in Australia were doing

exceptionally good / work and that those in New Zealand cheerily including himself and his personal colleagues —would have to enlarge their efforts .sooner or later and follow the lead of the Commonwealth’s advance. T 0 a New Zealand veterinarian, Dr. Hopkirk went on to say, it was indeed a privilege to see the concern of Australians regarding foot and mouth disease. They would not understand the necessity for the existence of an embargo against British stock and their embargo had been lifted some years ago. Authorities in the Commonwealth hoped that it would not be long before the disease would be so well diagnosed by blood tests that export of their cattle t° New Zealand would he permitted. Dr. Hopkirk does not imply in so many words that Ne\r Zealand is behind in development, hut lie suggests that. there are opportunities for investigation.