A HARD KNOCK.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 679, 31 October 1891, Page 2

A HARD KNOCK.

The good people of Tauranga have had a (severe home thrust in the report of Mr McLean, the expert who was sent by Government to report upon the mysterious sheep disease. Pastoral pursuits are under present conditions of such importance to the colony that anything tending to affect the staple export must be received with apprehension. The sheepfarmers of Tauranga caused some uneasiness by the noise they made about the mysterious disease which affected the sheep of the locality, and the matter was puffed into one of such importance that the Government went to some expense in having the state of things enquired into. We had ourselves asked the opinion of experienced men in this district as to the cause of the disease, from the symptoms described, but the reply was invariably such that we did not care to be hard on our neighbors by repeating the expression of opinion, seeing that it was not given with the authority of personal observation. Silence is no longer necessary now that Mr McLean has spoken out with a frankness that does him credit. He stales plainly that there is nothing mysterious at all about the diseases affecting the flocks in Tauranga district. They are afflicted by parasites common to all sheep, and external parasites are present to an extent denoting great carelessness. This, then, is the conclusion of an expert whose conclusions are not likely to be questioned by any but those who are accused of carelessness, and those against whom such an accusation can lie are bound to be bitter in resenting it. It is very satisfactory to learn that all the froth that has been beaten up by the sheepfarmers is froth and nothing, but what we want to know now is what the people who have had to contribute to the cost of this investigation think of it, People on the Liberal side are continually being chided for their so-called folly in expecting a Government to work needed reforms, but how does this Tauranga business stand in contrast ? The expense is not great, but the question of principle cannot be overlooked. It is a disgraceful thing that a lot of sheepfarmers should put the polony to the expense of proving to them that they either do not know their business, or take no higher place in public esteem if they do. Why, if a thing of the kind were to occur in Poverty Bay, those who had made the noise would be fairly laughed into seclusion.