Resentment of Embargo in England

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 41, 18 February 1938, Page 3

Resentment of Embargo in England

REGARDED AS UNJUSTIFIABLE ACT In the course of his address to a gathering of farmers at Kiwitea Hall on Wednesday night, Mr. L. J. Wild, headmaster of the Feilding Agricultural High School, touched upon the embargo on the importation of live stock from countries i ifectcd with the foot ami mouth disease. While in England, he said, ho had heard much comment on New Zealand's attitude and in some quarters there was much resentment because of what was regarded as an unjustifiable act on the part of the New Zealand Government. Mr. Wild did not intend to 4:0 further into the question and went on to state that Dr. John Hammond, of Cambridge University, who was now in New Zealand, was preparing a report on animal diseases, etc., for the Government and no doubt much more would be heard of the embargo later on. Touching upon England's campaign to build up the health of its livestock by stamping out disease, Mr. Wild said that this activity was of importance t j New Zealand farmers, more particularly in regard to the matter of foot and mouth disease. For about 8U years livestock had been imported into New Zealand from England and during all that time there had been the same chance of getting the disease into tnu Dominion a.s had existed at the time when the embargo was first put 011. ....e one important fact that was often overlooked, he .said, was that the disease was not rooted in England, consequently when an outbreak occurred and it was stamped out, England was as free, with some reservations, as New Zealand was. Recalling a conversation he had in Canada, Ml*. Wild said that in reply to an enquiry a Government official nad stated that New Zealand butter was “net bad” and went on to say that little more could be expected from a country where no regulations concern ing animal health existed. This comment had impressed the speaker and the argument seemed very vital when he arrived in England to find the campaign in train for the building up of stock health. In New Zealand, said Mr. Wild, the Farmers' Union sat back complacently and imposed the embargo against the importation of live stock from England while at the same time expecting England to take unlimited quantities of dairy produce from our cows which were not governed to anywhere near i..u point of strictness in health control as the English animal was. Mr. Wild said that the points were worthy of serious consideration by the Farmers' U nion because of the possible threat of a quota on our dairy produce. England, ho said, might feel disposed to deal less friendly with the country . ...0 saw fit to impose an embargo on its live stock. It was a matter for deep and full reflection by all concerned.