INTERVIEW WITH MR GILRUTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2151, 16 May 1895, Page 14

INTERVIEW WITH MR GILRUTH.

The Government veterinary surgeon, Mr Gil1 rutb, arrived from the north on Friday evening, and was waited upon by a reporter from thin paper in regard ta the cas's oF pleuro-pnou-mouia which developed in the cattle ou board thfl Perthshire at Lytrclton. In the course of a conversation, Mr Gilrutb stated that the post mortem examination of the b j ast that had died and ' the one slaughtered disclosed pleuropcieurcoaia in each instance. The Stock Act em; o.rcrft the Secretary of Agriculture to order Ite slaughter of the wholo sLipment, aud Mr Gi'ri'lh immdia^ly wired to Wellington for inatviio'itns. A r pl> was received thit us the ship ivus all «vd> to depart on her voyago, she was 1o be allowed to leave without the whole of hr fit ck b.ii'g slaughtered, and t^at the carcases of the dead animnl - cbnuld be thrown ovf-rboaid when terrkori tl \\i iH were re--<-h"d. Mr Gilruth could n< li.*j1 i.*j d ft' it 'y h'.w um>ij of 'the btjick died O'i the vivii.e lr^m Tnwi»svill«» t but he beliivtd tau uulmlki' was li. Five dit:l before Sydney was reached, and were replaced

at tec lHttor por!-, while seven more died before New Zealand's uhores were reached. The gfiieral health of tbe shipment wa3 poor, and Mr Gilruth was of opinion tbat others would die before the port of destination was reached. Pleuro-pneumonia was suspected in the shipment when the vessel reached the Bluff, and sub-'Ki'ientlyat Ljtfcelton by Mr. J. H. Onarlton, ' RI.K.G.VSi who made the first; examination at the request of the 6 iveruiu-'ut. Wh n the shippinuof liv»i cattle was first started MrUilruth pointed out that there was a danger of pleirontitumoiiifi being introduced, and all shipments Hjme via Nesv Zaalaud were carefully inspected at the different ports. The disease itself hid been sramped out in the old coun'ry after a great deil of expense, and New Zealand aud Iceland were the only countries iv the world from which Great Biitiin allowed cattle to be imported and depastured without immediate slaughter, aid as Iceland was uot likbly to export oattle, New Zea'aud en j )j ed tho unique position of being regarded as tree from all iuftction in this reapeet. Therefore it is important that ehe should run no risk of contagion from the othtr colonies. As an instance of the stringt-nt regul-.tiona existing at Home, Mr Gilruth mentioned that an embargo was placed on cattle from Canada because one case of pl< uro-pntum- n ; a was discovered in a number of shipments from that couutry to Dundee.

Melbourne, May 13. Tho Minister for Agriculture io seriously concerned at. the death *>f ths cattle Bbipped by the Perthshire, and thinks grave consequences will ensue to the Victorian meat export trade unless steps ate taken to prevent the shipment of diseased boasts. He has instructed the Stock department to make a thorough inspection before future shipments are allowed to leave.