CATTLE TICK MENACE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1923, Page 8

CATTLE TICK MENACE.

?’• IS IT SPREADING? ' That the cattle tick is a greater menace to this country than many in authority are prepared to admit, appears to be the accepted conclusjions of many people whose duty concerns them with stock from time to time (says the Waikato Times). Cr. Otway, in referring to the subject at the last meeting of the Raglan County Council, gave it as his opinion that the tick was the greatest menace the stockraisers and dealers of the country had to face. He remarked that some 300 head had come through the infected area in the north recently for sale at Papakura. Cr. Wilson pointed out that these cattle would have to be dipped before leaving. The chairman (Cr. Johnstone) said that he believed that the tick was all over the place. Be blamed the department for not taking rigorous steps when the tick was first discovered, instead of contenting J.tself in the statement that its appearance was only in odd places. Cr. Otway assured the meeting that the tick was in more than odd places at the present time. He referred to the statement recently published where an exSouth African had referred to the dire ravages of the cattle tick in that country. If steps wore not taken to eradicate it from New Zealand the results would also soon be very serious. Cr. McCutchan mentioned that the «ck had been reported at Patea recently. The chairman did not thjnk that dipping was a great success, because it was not, carried out strictly enough, some of the animals being only half dipped and others escaping it altogether. Proper supervision in this respect was essential for the best results.

Members generally agreed that the menace was a serous one to the country’s herds of cattle.