RABBITS v. SHEEP.

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 9

RABBITS v. SHEEP.

SCRIPTURAL TEACHING. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

INVERCARGILL, May 24.

Although Scriptural authority is invoked in regard to many questions, it would hardly be suspected that the injunctions of the Bible could be applied to the question of the relative claims of sheep and rabbits upon the accommodation of the freezing works of Southland. It appears, however, that the Scriptures were somewhat freely quoted in a recent correspondence between the Southland Frozen Meat Co. and a Dunedin rabbit exporter. It will be lemembered that towards the end of April the Southland freezing companies found it necessary to shut down their works against rabbits, and that the decision aroused considerable indignation amongst those engaged in the industry. Pressure was brought to bear upon the freezing companies to induce them to reconsider thotr decision, and the Dunedin exporter hi question called his knowledge of the Bib be to his assistance. His first telegram to the Southland Frozen Meat Company read as follows: " Christ-church Meat Co. blocKod, but recognise the justice of old clients' claims. On their consideration have shut out sheep, cattle, and lambs in order to continue accepting rabbits. See last sentence LuEe, chap. 10, verse 37." The managing director of the Southland Frozen Meat Co. gave dlue consideration to the course adopted at Burnside, where rabbits were accepted in preference to mutton, and on reference to the passage cited h« found the exhortation: " Go and do thou likewise." After cogitation, lie sent the following reply : "Burnside action and your text noted. Our circumstances may differ. See Samuel, chap. K, ver?e 34. and Proverbs chap 1, verse 10." Reference will «hrw that the manager of the Southland Froaer.

Meat Co. had fallen 'back on the precedent set up by 'Saul when he ignored rabbits and commanded every man to bring hither his ox and his sheep and to slay, them here." Furthermore, he threw up a second line of defence, and neatly parried the citation of the Burnside example by quoting the wise Solomon to the effect, " My son, if sinners entice thee consent thou not." The rabbit exporter was not, however, by any means at the end of his resources, and was not at all prepared to confess himself silenced by the weight of Saul and Solomon. His reply to the Southland Frozen Meat Co. was as follows: "Have referred to wicked Saul's command. Reading passage further discover that it only states that the people brought in oxen, and no sheep and lambs. There was evidently space 'for rabbits. Read Proverbs, chap. 1, verse 5; chap. 2, verse 9; chap. 3, verse 27." Tha attack by Biblical missiles was now waxing hot, but the manager of the freezing company was sufficiently conscientious to refer to each of the passages cited, and ha there found that the rabbit exporter had confronted him with the following inactions to virtue and straight dealing: " A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man understanding shall attend unto wise counsels. Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity, yea, very good faith." " Withold not good from them to whom it is due when it' is within the power of thine head to do it," Unfortunately for the rabbit exporter the frozen meat .industry was not firmly established v.-hen the Biblical sages wrote, and it would not be easy to demonstrate the relevancy of their teachings to the conditions of the industry in Southland to-day. The manager of the Southland Frozen Meat Co. might take the view that in matters of ethics Solomon was a wise counsellor, but he could hardly hei expected to acknowledge Solomon as any kind of an authority on the management of freezing works. He etood by the decision that the first duty of the freezing works was to freeze the fanners' sheep, and allowed a, very interesting change of Scriptural compliments to lapse.