Importation of Bonedust. TO THE EDITOR

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 11

Importation of Bonedust. TO THE EDITOR

Sir. — I effer no apology for placing before your readers tho position with respect to the importation of bones — a position of which tho like, were if not for the tragic issues inrolved, ceuld on]}' be found m comic opera. For years pr.st every la:ge A. and P. A-sociation has urged the Government to oarry out its promise to erect etsrilising p.ants. The Government has now, by expressed intention of breaking that piomise, showed its hand, and it is one on which there are ineffaceable *tains. Since it has been known that plants, were not to be erected, farmeis' as~ociations,from the leading A. and P.'s to the smallest branch of the union, have repeatedly and continuously besought the Gov&rrimeiu to reconsider its resolution not to erect plants or else to prohibit the importation of bones in any form. It has been justly tu-ged that Avith our snanurial deposit's and with the new methods of manuring now in u=e in other countries thet-e is no necessity to import bones when such importation is attended with the risk of such disastrous results. Mr Seddon is fond of saying th?> eyes of the world turn to the legislation of this country with admiration and approval. Such eyes saw the energy displayed in the Shop Assistants Bill, no doubt a very necessary measure, though, be it well noted, there had been no reported fatalities from overwork: they see the promptitude with which any suggestion from the various labour organisation is carried out ; they actually saw. as Sir John Hall said last week, our Parliament seriously debating as to whether th c public weal did not demend the suppression of the importation of Pink Pills and Mother SiegcVs Sy¥up : and now, if , they have read the article? and letters appearing in your paper. Sir, and in every ' publication throughout New Zealand, they see this solf-samp. Government, against the advice of its chief bacteriologist, acrainst ■ petitions from every agricultural district . in the colony, persist in its refusal to erect plants and in its determination to import , bones. I have not patience to sn-eak of , the proposed preventive, measures. No cne but a fool, or one who had ! ome ovorpowerinor incentive to do so. could entertain ths;r efficacy for a moment. Sir Joseph Ward has been made the mouthpiece of the Government in this matter, and he says, firstly, that farmers cannot do without ■ bones. That is not the ca?e. Farmers have said they can. and presumably they may be allowed to have an opinion in the matter. Sir Joseph Ward «nvs tho process of !ocal sterilisation would hake bones too costly to farmers. What has he to do with that if farmers are prepared to pay for safety? >Sp?aking of cost, what has been the outlay in importing serum from abroad for inoculation of stock in infected districts in c the north — an importation presumably rendered necessary because local laboratories could not overtake the demand? Do you, i Sir, or the general public know that a i cordon has been drawn round a certain infected area in the North Island, and thai j out of thfs no . c tcck may pa.^s, *o rotten is , tho district with anthrax? Not only doe<? I our boasted democratic Government refuse J to give effect to the wishes of tens of thousands of its ratepayers, but it persists in a course which spells death and disaster io the agriculturists of the colony. Wh^t may one deduce? Is it. as a northern paper says, that the Government exists solely to give effect to suggestions fna»»

the Liberal and Labour Federation, and lo treat •n.th contempt recommendations from any other c.uarter? The reiurn foi imported manures for ISO 4is not y-ct avKil able. That for 1905 shows 3one->, 6 rons : bonochut. 8112 ton?; guano, 33C0 tons; nncnuine.atpd, 18.613 tons. It would l>e interesting could wp know the profit per ton on bones and boncdu-t to importers, (ho names of such importers, and the extent to which these importers severally benefited.

We farmers are not quite so heiplr«s in this matter as would at first appear. I would suggest tho formation of an .-intianthrax Association. Mombei-s of this association should pledge themselves (o u^e no imported bone?. Further, throuofh various as=ociations, members should get in touch with bone manufacturers in this country and arrange through their A. and P. Societies. Farmers' Union, and what not for a direct supply- Thus the middleman would lose his profit, and the u=or b<^ so much the- gainer. Further, farmer*' sociptip.s should get full particulars of methods of manuring alluded to by Mr J. C. N. Grigg. at the last m-eetingr o f the Canterbury A. and P. Society. Given the adoption of these tactics, and I do not think j the eye of prophecy requires to srrow very j clear to foresee the early recall of the j Government microbe-catcher?. — I am. etc., i Dunodin, March 23. P. T. j The annual in sonic from the Monte Carlo I gaming tables exceeds £1,500,000 I