STOCK EMBARGO

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18975, 27 March 1936, Page 8

STOCK EMBARGO

PLEA FOR LIFTING NEED. OF IMPORTATIONS A plea for consideration of the British point of view in the matter of the embargo against the importation of livestock into Mew Zealand .was made by Mr. George Ebbett at a welcome to the touring party of British and South African farmers at Whakatu freezing works, Hastings. Mr. Ebbett urged the farmers who had consistently opposed the. lifting of the embargo to reconsider their views and to realise that New Zealand could not reasonably expect to'obtain trading concessions from Britain while she refused to trade with Britain in livestock. Air. lMjijen, woo iri a ihcmoer of the directorate oi tha company owning me niuiiuiui \voi'lvS, Sluu lie knew tllta'u was sonic risK in bringing livestock nuo uiis country Iroin iyriiuui, but mere were iew activities in winch risks naa not lo uc taken, in Britain the greatest precautious against liuecuoii were laiteii, uiiu similar precautions could be uuteii lit tins country. Competition lroiu other countries was becoming keener every day, and quality was going to count more and more. Aew Zealand must seriously consider obtaining improved quality by the importation oi stud annuals noin the- United lviuguoiu. Air, ii. C. tipper, who is a veterinarian and presiuent of the liinninghain and Aiiuiand Cnamoer of Agriculture, who visited this district with a party dl touring farmers six years ago, said a great deal niore Knowledge about livestock epidemics had been obtained in Uritam since he last spoke ui this country. It was no exaggeration to say that every possible precaution against the transference of infection was taken in Britain, and Mew Zealand need run no risk m importing iiritish livestock. There was a long period of quarantine in Britain and a long periou in New Zealand. That period could even be extended to make possible the most exhaustive and satisfying observation, and it should be remembered that the journey from Britain provided a further period for observation. Animals when they arrived in New' Zealand could be segregated in a special area where they could be carefully watched. He did not think the risk was at all serious. It had been found in Britain that outbreaks of disease among livestock were quite sporadic, and having occurred in one district they would never occur again. He understood that the veterinary profession iri New Zealand favoured tiffing the embargo, and he had spoken to many veterinarians who were of that mind.