STOCK DISEASES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23213, 10 June 1937, Page 12

STOCK DISEASES

NEED FOR ACTION GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES NECESSITY ASSURANCE FROM MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE An assurance that the Government was not unaware of the urgent necessity for action with regard to animal diseases and the losses resulting from them in the Dominion was given bv the Minister of Agriculture (Mr VV Lev Martin) at the annual smoke concert in the Somerset Lounge last evening of tht Otago and Southland Dairy Factory Managers' Association The Ministei stated that the Government was at present giving special attention to these matters and had good reason to expect results. Mr Lee Martin said it was recognised •.hat research and experiment was very necessary At the present time New Zealand was losing £1,000,000 a year from cattle and sheep diseases, to say nothing of pig losses. The Government realised its responsibility in this respect and was now negotiating to secure the services, at great cost, of one of the greatest authorities in England on animal diseases. Professor Marshall With his assistance it was hoped to coordinate all the work of the 60 veterinary surgeons nt present operating in New Zealand. That was essential and he thought there was every prospect of it being done He hoped to be able to set in train during the next few weeks a campaign, that would appreciably reduce the losses from stock mortality that the Dominion was now suffering. "Also, i might tell you that Cabinert has decided to spend £15,000 on bringing the Wallaceville Laboratory un to date and by securing the full co-opera-tion of Massey College and Lincoln College, we hope," said the Minister "to make a real impression on the animal disease problem. I am *orry to hear that southern districts have some very special troubles in this respect, but I can assure vou that we are determined to do everything possible to reduce, and. if we can. eliminate altogether, the loss and wastage that is at present affecting detrimentally the efficiency of primary industry and the volume of production