LIVE STOCK IMPORTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17230, 9 April 1930, Page 7

LIVE STOCK IMPORTS

PRECAUTIONS JUSTIFIED MINISTER'S EXPLANATION BRITISH CRITICS ANSWERED. i (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. Despite the strong comment of visiting British farmers, regarding New Zealand's prohibition of live stock imports from the United Kingdom, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Agriculture, declared that ,the restrictions will bo maintained. "It can readily be realised," he said, "that the British farmers find it difficult to understand why the importation of cattle, sheep, and pigs from the United Kingdom is still prohibited, notwithstanding the establishment of a quarantine station at London in which animals for export are kept tinder quarantine conditions for two weeks before being shipped, a period amply long enough to enable foot and mouth disease to manifest itself in any animal infected before entering the station. "In considering this, it is necessary to bear in mind the fact that New Zealand is free from many of the serious diseases existing in older countries, and that both the Government and farmers of the Dominion have always been deeply im pressed with the necessity for doing all possible to prevent the introduction of any of these. Hence, a general policy of precaution, which may appear ex treme in some' respects, is held to be warrantable in the circumstances, and this general principle is fully endorsed by the farming community. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE.

v "As regards foot and mouth disease, in particular, the community views it With special concern, this being accen tuated by information received from travelling farmers who have observed the heavy losses incurred through it in other countries where it exists, and b\

a realisation of how serious and wide

spread would be the loss to the Dominion if. it became an epidemic here, especially as the country is dependent foi it's financial stability upon the produc tion and marketing of live stock products. "The measures taken by the British Government to ensure the shipment of animals free from foot and mouth infection are fully known, and their value fully appreciated, but notwithstanding these measures, and the additional precaution of quarantine at this end, there is great preponderance of feeling among the flast&ral community against the removal of the present embargo. The whole ; question has been lately gone into by the Board of Agriculture, a very representative body acting in an advisory capacity to the Government, but the board did not feel Justified in recommending any alteration except as regards cattle from the Island of Jersey, if transhipped' without being landed in England. Also, the Dominion executive of the Farmers' Union, at its meeting last Week, unanimously passed an un« qualified resolution that the present re strictions should continue. NEED FOR NEW BLOOD.

"Information lately received from the High Commissioner's office is to the effect that the quarantine station at London docks is working very satisfactorily, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the strenuous and thorough measures taken by the authorities in the United Kingdom to stamp out the disease will yet prove successful. While the Dominion is still self-contained as regards a number of breeds; there are others for which Blood is needed, and the question of how to meet this position will soon need to be given very full consideration. "Reference has from time to time been made to animals' of British origin brought to New Zealand via the United States or Canada. It must be pointed out that ho live stock can be introduced from these countries unless accompanied by a certificate in proper form that they ate in good health? and have been bred there or domiciled there for a period of not less than six months; also, in the case of the United States, the prior consent of the Minister of Agriculture for their introduction is necessary."