STOCK FROM BRITAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21507, 2 June 1933, Page 10

STOCK FROM BRITAIN

CRITICISM OF EMBARGO

NEED FOR FRESH BLOOD LIITLE DANGER OF DISEASE [ FROM OUR OWN CORK KSrONDENT] HAMILTON*. Thursday ".[ have for the past two years been waiting very patiently for a change in the attitude of many New Zealand stock-owners on the question of the embargo on pedigree stock," said tlie Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, when lie i?ave an address at the W aikato Wir.ter Show this afternoon.

'"Pedigree animals for New Zealand cannot bo secured unless farmers see their way to change their views as regards the embargo now imposed upon the importation of livestock from Great Brilain," said Lord Bledisloe. "There is no country which has greater need of fresh blood, there is none which imposes as sdie does a continuous embargo on its admission, and there is none -which, owing to its geographical position, ii> so secure against the admission of foot and mouth disease, or oth'?r seriously contagious animal diseases, quite apart from the excellent protection afforded by the strict system of quarantine both in the Old Country and here. "As one who at Home has had in his hands the administration of animal disease, and who 011 behalf of the British Government went on a mission to the Sou:h American republics in 1927, 1 earnestly appeal to New Zealand stock-owners in their own interests to explore this problem thoroughly before coming to any hasty decision about it. "Foot and mouth disease is not a dangerous disease. Even where it is allowed to live, as in most countries of the world, not more than from 5 to 7 per cent of animals die from it. It is not a dangerous disease, but it is an extremely treacherous disease, and because it is a treacherous disease, in England we cannot afford to allow it to spread, on account of the value of our pedigree stock and our export trado in pedigree stock. ' Foot and mouth disease is hardly ever absent from any country of Europe, except' England," concluded the Governor-General. "It is because England has taken such drastic measures, and because.the period of incubation is so short and the voyage to NewZealand so long that this Dominion can afford to remove the embargo."