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Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 31, 9 August 1851, Page 6

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times.

Sir, —Your correspondent of the 26th inst. seems to be unaware of a meeting having been held, since the appearance of a letter in the Times of June 14th, when many of the importers of stock were present. It was then shewn by Mr. Godley that the Ordinance gave him no power to prevent the landing of diseased sheep beyond the levying of a fine of two shillings upon every diseased sheep landed—and £100 for any infected sheep trespassing, or travelling. Your correspondent goes on to enquire " whether this fine has had the desired effect?"— "whether it has not been a matter of deliberate calculation, just as much as the estimated expences of shipment, losses, casualties, &c V " whether the speculation would succeed, even if the shipper should be fined, &c?" Does your correspondent suppose that any person knowing the ruinous effects of a sea voyage on diseased sheep would be so blind to his own interest to ship them so ? Let him ask the proprietors of the sheep which have been landed since the above-mentioned meeting, and pronounced by the Inspector to be diseased. The first, a few only, the wreck of an unfortunate voyage. Ask that person whether it pays to ship diseased sheep and to sell them at a diseased price. The other, a shipment of wethers to supply the market, "to shew the speculative character of the importer," would not have been landed on our shores, but for the want of fodder to convey them back from whence they came. Your correspondent invokes the settlers to nip this evil in the bud—let us rather trace back to the fountain's head, and we shall then find that long before the Scab Act was put in force for this colony, the bud had both blossomed and seeded on our hills ; and it is to this gross neglect that the present contaminated state of our Peninsula is owing—that while the prosperity of our colony must depend upon the creation of an export, yet the act which is the most important for its protection, is the last to be enforced ; but the evil now is rife, and the remedy equally clear. At our last meeting two landing places were reserved, one on each side of the Peninsula, and the Inspector was then ordered, should either run become infected, or any other diseased sheep arrive, or be suspected, ' they should be landed on the diseased run, and thereby keep one run clean for the clean sheep. But as to sheep diseased being utterly excluded from landing, it would be impracticable—inasmuch as sheep, driven from the stations to the place of shipping lnaY ne t i ien perfectly clean ; but during a long voyage at this season of the year, the chances are, that if they do not enter our harbour with the disease prominent—yet the scab will shew itself shortly after landing. Hence arises the necessity for sheep landed clean being removed with the least possible de-

lay from the vicinity orthTkSST^ reserved run. "S-place and I am» Sir, Your obedient Servant Augusts 1851. A Cante «bu ßy Seitle ' Ri