CONDEMNED COWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12776, 21 October 1919, Page 5

CONDEMNED COWS.

DAIRY FARMERS’ CRUEVANOE,

The Christchurch Dairy Farmers’ Assedation, a ncv. ly-lorniod organisation, for tnc improvement of dairy conditions in eonneetJon with tlie city milk supply, has m liana the question of full compensation lor cattle condemned under the tuberculin test. Under the present system, when a cow is condemned, it is valued by the inspector and taken charge of, but under no condition does the price paid as conipensation lor such animal exceed £fi, although, when tho animal is killed under inspection, it frequently happens that it returns the Government more than this price. A deputation was appointed by the association to interview the -Minister of Agriculture on tlus subject, the delegates being Air H. Sliss, jun., president of the association, who is a practical dairy farmer, and who provides milk lor the consumption institutions and the Karitano Hospital on Cashmere Hills, and Air J. Pariane, a dairy farmer and wellknown breeder of prize stock. Tho deputation met tho Alinister (tho Hon \V ,^Aos worthy) at Wellington, and Air Pariane explained th© disabilities under which the dairymen worked, their holdings, ho stated, consisted mostly of small areas of high-priced a . n , Tlle lF were not able to rear many of their own stock, and had to depend on the open market for tho upkeep.of hj hords 3 and thoy found it very hard, after paying £ls to £2O for an apparently sound cow, to have her submitted to the tuberculin test and perhaps condemned, when they would only receive at the most £6 as compensalon - . Another matter of -.importauco to which Air Pariane referred was that the Go eminent did not give sufficient to breeders or purebred stock. A dairyman would not ns-i the chances of high-class milking cows being submitted to the test when only such a small compensation was paid, consequently the breeders suffered, and also the industry. There were many Government farms now breeding purebred cattle. Those animals were brought into competition with, private. breeders’ stock at shows, public auctions and nrivate sales. The herds aro maintained at tho expense of tho taxpayers, and this would, in time, tend to kill private enterprise. Air Bliss pointed out that on an average quite 10 per cent of the cows tested were condemned. This va“ a matter that was recurring to a certain degree, and as it was a question affecting public health, foil compensation should be paid. 'Hie Alinister gave the deputation a Byrnpatheiio hearing, hut regretted that the Government had so much business m hand that there was no hope of anything being done this session. He promised, however, to dc what he could if returned to Parliament again. He cou!d_ not speak for the Government, but in his own private opinion the State should _ not enter into competition with private enterprise, as h© knew from experience that private breeders produced better stock than the Government.