DISEASE AMONG PIGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21494, 18 May 1933, Page 11

DISEASE AMONG PIGS

JOHNSONVILLE OUTBREAK NO FURTHER INFECTION TRENCH DIGGING DELAYED [BY TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENTj WELLINGTON, Wednesday The outbreak of swine fever in the Johnsonville district is viewed seriously by tho Department of Agriculture, but a heartening feature is that tho infection appears to bo localised. , Tho department, which had arranged for practically tho destruction of tho affected animals, had hoped to have little left to be done by to-morrow, but the relief workers detailed to go on with tho trench digging to-day, instead of working, formed deputations to tho unemployment bureau in company with delegates from city relief jobs demanding "dirt money" in addition to the 10s a day paid by the Unemployment Board for this work. It is understood that the board doos not intend to pay "dirt money," but has made arrangements for a different body of relief workers to proceed to the farms to carry on trench digging. The killing of the pigs by men employed by tho Department of Agriculture is proceedingly rapidly, though it presents special problems. Pigs are reported to be dying from swine fever with increasing rapidity on affected farms.

"As soon as tho trouble was known," said tho Director-General of Agriculture, Dr. C. J. Reakes, "we started farm inspection over a fairly wide area in tho affected districts, commencing on a boundary outside the known infected areas and working inward. Up to tho present, although the known infected areas are now being approached, we liavo found nothing of even a suspicious nature outside. Wo are hopeful of being able to confine tho disease to tho areas where it has been proved to bo already established. We are keeping very rigid control over any risks that might ariso through the movement of Pigs.

"A very helpful fact is that tho farmers, realising tho serisousness of tho position, are honestly doing their best to help us. Killing is going on on two farms, where all the ditches to receive tho dead pigs are dug. Two farms in tho Johnsonville area which were showing suspicious signs of the disease yesterday have been definitely shown to bo affected."

Referring to the stoppage of trench digging, Dr. Reaves said that arrangements had been made with the Unemployment Board by which it was hoped to carry tho work to a successful conclusion to-morrow.