SHEEP BRANDS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21126, 27 August 1938, Page 18

SHEEP BRANDS

Tar and Paint Not Suitable

Should Be Prohibited By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON. August 26. Complaints frequently made by wool manufacturers in England and elsewhere about the use on sheep of branding fluids having a bitumen base were referred to by Mr H. M. Christie, M.P., chairman of 'the New Zealand Wool Publicity Committee, in an address to-day to members of the Electoral Committee of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. Mr Christie, who has just returned from a conference of representatives of wool producing countries held in London, said it had been found that large numbers of growers still used a tar paint for branding. In South Africa it was compulsory for the producer to remove such brands by clipping them from the fleeces before the wool was offered for sale, and heavy fines were imposed for failure to do so. Mr Christie said he had been shown samples of garments which contained spots as a result of paint or tar being on the wool. These spots had been specially treated in a separate process. “I believe it is time,” added Mr Christie, “that we asked the Government to arrange through the Department of Industrial and Scientific Research for more information about some of these branding fluids which are on the market. Farmers should be advised against some of them. At the same time some of the owners of proprietary brands of fluid have expended large sums on research. We don’t want to discourage that, but we should be ruthless with those who are misrepresenting their branding fluids. Furthermore, branding with tar and paint should be absolutely prohibited." The Electoral Committee was unanimously in favour of some action being taken along the lines suggested by Mr Christie.