Page 1 Advertisements Column 5

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1992, 30 January 1907, Page 1

with his own, nil having throe marks. In like manner D may levy toll on A 13, and 0, and in the end the wholo of the stolen sheep aro unrecognisable. Consequently this narrows the argument upon this point, to wlint we have already stated, via., that the maximum number of registration marks must bo tlio minimum and the possibility of any alteration disappears, and security upon that point is absolute. Lastly, it is imperative that all marks bo made upon the oar itsolf. Tin-tags or other similar dovices may do for stud sheep, but are absolutely worthless on a rough IU I* trust I have made myself clear to you so far as I have gone. As it is necessary in order to know what you may do to know what you may not do, and in bringing this matter before you in the manner I have done, in consideration of its revolutionary nature, I have endeavored to load you into the matter stop by step, and so educate yon up to_ my point as we go along. I know it is not easy to see through new ideas at first glance, and especially for you to view the matter at first as Isee it; but I trust before I am through to make you conversant with its salient points. Now, I want you for the time being to lose sight of the present system of earmarks. and forget all that you ever knew of “buck-bits and 'forobits,” and turn your mind to a numerical system pure and simple—-a systom in which every mark stands for and represents a number—-a system which fully embraces all the points I have just enumerated, inasmuch as it is a code systom. It is easily learned, and once learned never forgotten. Firstly, wo will consider the district mark. As there are 19,000 owners in this colony, and tlio number is continually growing, it is necessary in order to cover future contingencies, to provide for, at least, 30,000 owners in order to make tlm tiling complete. Now, as my system is limited to four figures, it is patent -at once that the limit is 9999. Hence, wo introduce the district mark. Now as we have four sides to the two ears wo are enabled by constituting each side a separate district to get four districts, each of 9999, or a total of 40,000 marks, less four. These districts we constitute as follows: Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago. This district mark is applied where most suitable. It has no fixed place so long as it is in its proper district and within the registration area.

The registration area occupies roughly, the lower three-fourths of the ear, and should be devoted to the registration mark only; and it should bo made penal for any person to add, alter, or defaco any mark within that area. . Now, with regard to the tips or the oars. These are reserved for sex marks in the first place. The wether mark on one ear; the ewe mark on the other . Now, I wish you particularly to notice that the sex mark is also an age mark. In this way: this being the year 1906 the numerical six becomes the sex mark. The year 1902 the numeral two becomes the sex mark; therefore in looking at the sex mark two, you would read that as 1902, and be" able to say at once that sheep is four years old. Now let us see what a typical earmark lias to tell us. First the owners registered number; next, the district to which he belongs; 3rd, the sex; and, lastly, come to the key of the system. The registration mark is made upon what might he aptly termed the “three” system. Three marks working upon three angles. These give the nine numerals, a furthr provision being made for the nought. The accurate position of the mark is of no importance, so long as the angle is properly given, and the matter o 1 _ giving the necessary angle is not a difficult one. As it is an operation that only requires to be done once in the life of a sheep, it would be absurd to say that it cannot be done properly. Just on the score of taking up a little more time than formerly. We don t suppose that at first anything like the same speed will be maintained as formerly, but practice makes perfect. So as the system comes to be better understood the greater speed will be obtained. Speed will come with practice Where the security of the flock is at stake, should the docking take 25 per cent, longer, or necessitate another man in the yards,, are not the results going to warant it? Look at the vastness of the interests at stake and theii consider the amount of sheep-stealing that has been going on all through the colony, and then ask yourselves whether a little time or trouble should be begrudged in order to prevent this. It may be fresh in the minds of some of you that in the early part of the year 505 sheep were stolen off the Sumner Hills. » hat became of them ? Sold perhaps at the Addington Yards under the eye of the owner, who could not recognise lus own sheep. I don’t say this was so, but it would be quite possible under the present svstem. Now, supposing this system was introduced, a check to. slieep-stealing may be worked in this way. A man takes a mob to the saleyards, and the yardman reads the number 1469* Turning to the register lie finds the name John Smith. You are not John Smith. Have you his authority to sell r This question of stock dealing was brought under my notice particularly at the Farmers’ Union Conference the other day, and one speaker advocated a system that would enablo a fresh registration mark for each dealj but as the farmers themselves pointed out, a sheep has not ears enough to permit of such a thing, one line being quoted which changed hands seven times in six months; consequently, we may dismiss as impossible the idea of re-registering the sheep. But all that is required may be met by legislation. You liave here a system which renders it possible for you to recognise your own sheep wherever you may find them. And the recognition 9f the registered number is prima-facie evidence of ownership. Consequently it is not the seller you need to protect so much as the buyer. A few short clauses would be sufficient to do this, Firstly, nq person not having been registered as an owner should be competent to sell any sheep. Secondly, all travelling stock should be accompanied by a sale note. These' should be issued By the Department on printed forms, and preferably in duplicate, setting forth the owner s —me and address, liis registered mber, the number of sheep offered • sale, their general description, d their various marks. This sale te would be a license to the buyer hold so many of another man’s reitered sheep and protect him from suspicion. The absence,of the sale te would be prima-facie evidence of ongful possession. We might justly a step further than this, consider- ; the magnitude of the industry at ike. Let the buyer sign his name d address the duplicate sale note, d forward the same to the local ice of the Stock Department to be pt there as a record of his bona-fide nersliip. This might necessitate 3 employment of a cadet, and cost 3 country £6OO or £7OO a year; t look at the other side for a morn t. We have in this colony at the esent time 20,000,000 sheep, which, an average or 12s per head, mean a pital value of twelve million pounds srling, represented by sheep alone, rely such vast interests warrant, needs be, the expenditure of thouads of pounds if necessary in order give the industry that amount of otection it so much needs at the esent time. Only last week three ish cases of sheep stealing were rerted in the South, and it was due the prevalence of sheep stealing at the Government some 15 months so ago promised to introduce a rerm. ’ So far this has not beeii done, t the necessity for it is admitted all hands. Another point I should :e to mention is this: the seller of y sheep should place a sale mark the off tip, a punch mark of any riety not likely to be confused with e registered punches, or where the eep are sold by auction, and liable subdivision. Then the same should done after the sale, so that no two yers have the same sale mark. The irk together with its numerical siti'on, should be entered in the le note. Such a system would renr sheep stealing very difficult, beuse a man would not only have to aal the sheep, he would have to rgo a sale note; and, when all is id and done, the onus lies upon the Ider in proving that he came by pm honestly, and this would tend make buyers the more careful in sing that they were dealing with ;itimate people, in a legitimate inner. The question may well be asked, )»■ is this system to be introduced p i I stated to the farmer: “Well, is in your hands. When you ve considered the matter thoroughit will be for you to bring forward resolution asking the Government adopt the system, and to pass such