H.—2la

1882. NEW ZEALAND.

LIVE STOCK AND RABBITS. REPORT OF PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON PETITION FROM MARLBOROUGH SHEEPOWNERS FOR SUSPENSION OF SECTION 23, "SHEEP ACT, 1878," AND SUPERINTENDING SHEEP INSPECTOR BAYLY'S REPORT ON SCAB IN MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT.

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

ORDER OF REFERENCE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives. Wednesday, thb 23bd Day op August, 1882. Ordered, " That the petition of C. Redwood and others, together with the report of the Public Petitions Committee thereon, be referred to the Government." — (Mr. Kelly.)

Repoet on the Petition of C. Redwood and Othees, of the Maelboeough District. The petitioners state that they are sheepfarmers in the Provincial District of Marlborough; that, owing to the mountainous and rough character of the land, and the difficulties of fencing the same, they find a great difficulty in eradicating the scab upon some of their runs. They state that the power vested in Inspectors by section 23 of "The Sheep Act, 1878," to determine arbitrarily whether or not reasonable exertions have been made by the owners to clean infected sheep operate harshly upon many of the occupiers of the aforesaid land. They suggest that the discretion so vested should be vested in the Court hearing the information, and not leave in the hands of the Inspector the almost absolute power of saying whether or not the said persons should be fined. They pray that the House will grant them relief. lam directed to report: The Committee are of opinion that the petition be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. Thomas Kelly, 23rd August, 1882. Chairman.

Petition of C. Redwood and Othees. To the Honorable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled. The petition of the undersigned sheepfarmers, occupying land in the Provincial District of Marlborough, humbly showeth : — That your petitioners are in occupation of lands in the said provincial district as sheepfarmers. That large areas of land within the said provincial district used as sheep-farms are of a mountainous and rough character, of great altitude. That, in consequence of the character of most of the said country, neither packing materials nor fencing operations can be carried on for a period of about five months in each year, and that, with the best and most persevering efforts to clean sheep upon some country in the said provincial district, the object cannot be accomplished without great patience and ample time. Tour petitioners would bring under the notice of your honorable House that, even in some parts of the provincial district which are comparatively easily worked, some clean certificates have only recently been issued. That your petitioners fully recognize the advantage to be derived from the eradication of scab, and the preservation of the flocks in a clean state; and that, if effect be given to the suggestions herein contained, your petitioners believe they will be able ultimately to accomplish the desired end without undue harshness.