DR DANYSZ AND RABBIT EXTERMINATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 22

DR DANYSZ AND RABBIT EXTERMINATION.

The attitude of Sir William Lyne to* wards the future of the Danysz experiments is creating considera-ble astonwbmentj 1J& conclusion arrived at by Dr TidsweU in hiaf official report to the *«f 717 1 "? ijf 4 ? Governments was so far satisfactory that a case had been very strongly made out fop the pastoralists 1 right** expe<* vmnam »■ from the authorities to carry on further ex* periments on the mainland. . . Dr Tidswell's emphatic statement tha# there is not the slightest «k bom t&» Danvsz microbe to human health or TO domestic animals is in itself sufficient to justify the withdrawal of the federal veto. Apart from this, however, there m tha further and. very .potent «?«»<*•*«> identical mioroße is native to Australia,. Why in the face of this it should be considered necessary to continue to. question the rigfat of the pastc.rali.rt- to oorxitKrfc experiments on~the mainland i« -who* w jwvwt causing astonishment all over the Common* wealth. ... • ■, x , Cj That a point has been raised as to the* efficacy of the disease is no adequate reason for the hesitancy ehown on the part of tha Federal authorities to allow those who hav«s so courageously put their money into thtf experiment* to try what will be the result! of the mainland test. In »U conscience* they deserve from the Government bettejj treatment for the efforts they are in airing to protect the pastoral industry, which haa done so much for the prosperity of &us* •<■ tralia.

The suggestion that has now une^» peetedly been made by the Federal Governj*

tnent to submit the whole question to the ■Boards of Health of the various Slates is as unaccountable as it is unnecessary. — Pastoralists' Review.

The States ha\e allowed the opportunity to pass of participating vith Dr Tidswell in the Brougrhton Islt-.c! in\estigations, and they are rot in a no^inon to express an opinion upon the ■nibjpct. and Sir William Ljnc will rr-ake a gra\e mistake if he imports them into th<^ matter now.