STOCK EMBARGO

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20105, 11 May 1935, Page 19

STOCK EMBARGO

VIEWS OF A. AND P. ASSOCIATION ONUS ON DEPARTMENT At yesterday’s meeting of the Committee of the Timaru A. and P. Association a letter was received from the Department of Agriculture asking for an expression of opinion in regard to the importation of stock into New Zealand from Great Britain. Mr B. E. H. Tripp said that the question was more burning in England than people realised, and the Government felt that the quota discussions might be helped if the embargo was lifted. He could not see that there would be much risk under the restrictions which it was proposed to enforce. The president (Mr E. R. Guinness) said that in the past the Association had opposed the lifting of the restrictions, and he also had favoured the retention of the embargo. After studying the Government’s statement, however, he had changed his views. In the lifting of the restrictions there were likely to be three advantages to the Dominion. Firstly it would show Great Britain that New Zealand would take her stud stock after certain quarantine restrictions had been observed. The concession should prove a strong bargaining factor in the conversations about to take place in London on the importation of New Zealand frozen meat into England. Secondly the importation of; stud stock would be of national benefit to the herds, and thirdly, there would be much more protection under the proposed new quarantine regulations than there was at present, or had been in the past, as they were so drastic that it would mean stock would come in through the front door instead of through the back door, as it had been doing for some years. Providing the quarantine regulations were faithfully carried out in England and New Zealand, as far as he could see. there would be better protection against foot and mouth disease than there was at present.

Messrs Johnstone and Elworthy spoke in favour of the proposal, and considered that the Association should support the proposal to lift the embargo. Dr. Woodhouse said that he represented the Association at the annual conference last year, when the matter had been fully discussed. There had been three schools of thought. One group said that there was a risk, but New Zealand did not need stock, so the embargo should remain. The second group said that they wanted stock, but the risk was too great, and.the embargo should remain. The third group considered there was no risk, and their arguments were along the lines indicated by the Department. Personally he was a little doubtful regarding carriers, and he would like a little further proof that carriers were nonexistent. There was another point and that was that the disease might be more disastrous in a new country than it was in the country in which it originated. Until they knew more about it. he was not in favour of taking the slightest risk. In spite of the quarantine regulations in England, there had been numerous outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, and if they could not control it there, what chance would they have of dealing with it in New Zealand. If it got into the deer herds, they would never stamp it out. Mr H. B. S. Johnstone said that he had been given to understand that a good deal of raw meat and offal was imported into England from the Continent, and it was argued that the disease came in in this way.

Dr. Woodhouse said that if such was the case, the quarantine regulations in England must be very lax. Mr W. H. Orbell said that the Government veterinarians should accept the responsibility, and he moved to that effect. Mr C. L. Orbell did not consider that they were in a position to vote, because they did not know anything about it. Mr Tripp moved that the Association favour the lifting of the embargo on the importation of all stock from England, providing the Government accept full responsibility, and the Veterinary Department is convinced that there is no risk.

The motion was seconded by Mr Johnstone.

Dr. Woodhouse said that he did not like the wording of the resolution, and moved as an amendment that the Association opposes the relaxation of any restrictions against the entry of foot and mouth disease into New Zealand, and Was of the opinion that in a technical question of this sort, they must leave the entire responsibility of lifting the embargo in the hands of the Veterinary Department.

The amendment was seconded by Mr C. L. Orbell and carried.