WARBLE FLY MENACE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17233, 12 April 1930, Page 8

WARBLE FLY MENACE

FURTHER INFESTATION P.B. FARMERS CONCERNED The concern that was recently expressed on the part of Poverty Bay .farmers, both dairymen and sheepowners, regarding the advent, of the warble fly. appears to be increasing, and at to-day’s meeting of the Fanners’ Union doubt was cast, on the assurance given by the. director of the Live Stock Division, Mr. ,1. Lyons, when ho was in the district a tow weeks ago. One of the most serious aspects is that an additional beast to the imported bull on which the discover v was made recently in Poverty Bav has been reported with larvae under its hide. The matter was brought before today’s meeting on the initiative of Mr. A. M. Newton, who referred to the announcement of the director of the Live Stock Division on the subject. “The head of the department iias been here,” he'said, “and lias assured us of the climate. I think that is too weak. It is a very serious matter and vastly more serious than cattle tick.” In a publication Mr. Newton produced. it Was maintained that ox warble flv was discovered in Taranaki in HIM. but it was hoped then that it would be speedily exterminated. That was the warble which had now appeared in the recently-imported Toll-* etl-ITereford bull. The president, Air. F. S. Bowen: Who discovered it here? Mr. Trnffovd: The owner did. Mr. Newton said Mr. Lyons _ was relying on the pest being out ot season here, but Mr. Newton thought this was too weak. Since the director had boon bore, the larvae had been found on the animal. Mr. Trafford said that if the warble fly got among the dairy cattle the dairymen would get little milk, aud with' the graziers the position would be that the cattle would be all stores, and would not become fat. The president: If we don’t make a stand to keep out the warble lly and the foot and month disease wo will have all of these things here. Mr. Trafford: I heard of another beast which had them on. It was decided to get into touch with the. Stock Department at Gisborne to see wliat developments had transpired since the visit of the director of the division, and to urge that there be no relaxation of the import regulations.