SAVING SHEEP IN SNOW AREAS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17868, 14 August 1918, Page 4

SAVING SHEEP IN SNOW AREAS.

' PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. The committee of the .Canterbury ShecptKvners' Union has received the following letter from Mr T. D. Burnett, of Mount Cook Station, which will be considered at the annual meeting of the union next Friday:— .■"I fhould liko to Jay before our committee sevorai matters of vital interest to aheepowners, ono of which i 3 tha devising of ways and ineanß for saving sheep within the severe snowfall areas in Canterbury. In rny opinion small committees of sheepmen shouid bo set up in all Canterbury counties within tho severe snowfall area. Their duties wousd bo to confer together a 3 to tha .followuig, and then report to tho main committee oi the Sheer/owners' Union in Chri6tcliurch. : (1) Have we the best manner of means for opening up the district roads in time of (mow? Are our snow ploughs capable of improvement? (2) Has tho County Council dono its best to open up tho roads, and is it fully seized of its duty regarding the laitcr? (a) Have ths railway officials; of our branch lines the necessary appliances for clearing these lines, eo that even up to three find four feet of snow cou.d be cleared and tho lines fully utilised for getting tho sheep dowa on to ■' black county ? ~.- j (4) To make inquiries in America and Europe as to the most up-to-date means there employed for clearing roads and railways in time of snow. There is no question abortt it, ft ia the duty of our Shccpowucrs' Union to apply the best brains to tha reduction of k-Gsos during these periodical snowstorms. Shoep are- our all in all. What could bo gambled with «■ quarter ol a oeutury ago with a margin of safety it would be national insanity to triflo with Wongsido of & war debt of from sixty to one hundred millionß. We will have to pirogress in order to faro tho country from bankruptcy. Although comparisons aw not always in tho best of teste, I must give tho Mackenzie County Council credit for what they and "the Kailway flcpartmont accomplish el in the July s'oTni. The council had five teams out immediately opening up tho roads. The depth would vary from two to four feet. Fortunately the Fa-irli* titin was «bie to burst its way out from tho outset. In the first week over 25 000 sheen were railed away from Fairlio, and from ofher stations from fiva to ten ithoußand, besides several thousands by road. The Ounty Council keut on keeping the snow tracks clear in spit© of drif'insi snow. Above all, the committees would require to put in their proper pkoe a numerous class of imhecile-s who dutfijv the past five years novo ridiculed <ho of experienced men as to the probabilities of tho reourrenco of these great storms.