BUSH SICKNESS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10453, 12 May 1910, Page 4

BUSH SICKNESS.

A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE. (Per Press Association.) Auckland, May 11. The Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture, visited Mamaku and Okorire yesterclay to investigate the question of bush sickness, winch-has caused a great' number , of settlers in these districts considerable anxiety. It is said 'that oyer 1,000,000 acres of good land is affected by this mysterious disease, which so far has baffled all efforts'to • overcome'it. At-the meeting vat. Mamaku about 50 settlers met the Minister, some travelling 50 miles and more to be- present. - The Minister traversed over. 30 miles .of the affected district, and was met at -Okorire by the settlers living in the neighbourhood of that place.: At this meeting, as at those held at Mamaku and Rotorua, a great deal of valuable information was given by the settlers present regarding the effects of the trouble, its. history, and what had been tried to combat it. It was stated,that the efforts by the settlers had been almost entirely unsuccessful. The - Minister, who is taking a very keen interest in the matter, realises the seriousness of the situation, and has promised to carry out a- series of experiments. Hi?, was accompanied by his departmental under- Mr Reakes, the Chief Veterinarian, and it is hoped that by well-thought-out plans it may be possible to do something to correct the evil. Mr Mac Donald, member for the Bay of Plenty, who is accompanying tlie party, states that if anything could be found to overcome the difficulty the value of the land' affected will bo worth at least five million.'; more.