SHEEP SCAB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9122, 2 August 1888, Page 5

SHEEP SCAB.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. OFFICIAL NEGLECT. THE DEPARTMENT CENSURED. [BY TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL COREESPOXDE'-T.] Wellington, Wednesday. The report of the joint committee of both Houses was laid upon the table of the House to-day, and ordered to be printed. The discussion on the report was not very complimentary to the Government. The committee report as follows : —" The committee have examined into the circumstances concerning the existence of scab, and find that it exists in three places in the colony, viz.—at Miranda, in the Auckland district, at Tophouse, in the Nelson district, and at Seaward Ranges, Kaikoura. With regard to the outbreak at Miranda, there is no doubt but very serious blame must also attach to ths department. Not only has the district in question not been visited by an Inspector for two years, but even the name of Steedman, who sold the infected sheep to their owner at Miranda, does not appear on the official list of owners of sheep, conclusively proving long-continued neglect on the part of the Inspector. The probable cause of this outbreak is the existence of wild sheep in Coromandel Peninsula, which departmental records show has never been visited by an inspector. At all these places steps are being taken by the department to get rid of disease, but the committee are unanimously of opinion that they are altogether inadequate. The public interests involved are of such magnitude that all other considerations should give way, and the utmost efforts should be continuously made to free the colony from this disease. The existence of scab at the present time is an absolute disgrace to all concerned in the administration of the law, and your committee recommend that the Government should either take charge of infected flocks, or send the most capable Inspectors in the service to reside in the different infected localities, with instructions that they are not to leave until the disease is stamped out. Your committee are of opinion that these outbreaks of scab in different parts of the colony two years after every flockowner in it had been granted a clean certificate, afford unmistakeable grounds for concluding that the department lias failed in its important functions, and that a change is absolutely essential. The question is in what direction shall the change be made ? It has been suggested to remove the control of the department from the Government, and transfer it to the County Councils or Road Boards. P»ut a modification of our present system will be best for our requirements, and therefore the committee recommend that the office of Superintendent Inspector, with his headquarters in Wellington, be abolished, believin<r that no permanent improvement will be effected so long as a superintending inspector is kept in his present position. In place of a superintending inspector, the committee recommend that New Zealand be divided into six sheep districts, with an inspector over each, these inspectors to l>e in direct communication with the Minister, who of course would have his departmental office. With regard to the appointment of sub-inspectors, the committee consider that no appointment to the department should be made in the future without the approval of the inspector of the district, who must lie held responsible for his own district; and each must be allowed to appoint or discharge his own subordinates. The weakness of the department so far as the subordinates are concerned has been brought about mainly by the little discretion exercised in making appointments The committee believe it to be an essential of efficiency that every ofticer of the department of every grade should be known to possess a considerable experience in stock, which qualification has very frequently been lost sight of in the past. The six districts should be aa follows : —l, Otago and Southland ; "2, Canterbury, Amuri, and Kaikoura ; :>, Marlborough, Nelson, and WesfcHnd ; 4, Wellington and Taranaki ; l>, tTawke's P>«y and Cook County ; 6, Auckland. The committee believe that conditions such as these are necessary to the efficient working of the Act, and the question is, can they bo carried out with the present system of dual government under a superintending inspector? They consider it to be impossible, no matter who might be the person to till such a situation, and they therefore recommend that that oliice be It was carried, on the motion of Mr. John MacKenzie, that the committee's recommendations be adopted.