Foot and Mouth Disease Embargo

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 43, 20 February 1937, Page 3

Foot and Mouth Disease Embargo

POSITION NOT CLEAR TO FARMERS. PROPOSED NEW REGULATIONS CONSIDERED. The discussion on the subject of the proposed new regulations governing the direct importation of live stock from Great Britain, at yesterday’s meeting of the Wellington Central Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, held at Feilding, made it clear that farmers generally were not clear as to what was intended, nor had they a clear understanding of the existing regulations, both here and in England.

It was recalled that at the December meeting of the executive, projiosals to form the basis of new regulations designed with the object of tightening up the control on live stock imported from countries infected with foot and mouth disease, and of facilitating direct shipments under safeguards, had been approved of and submitted to all breed societies as well as to branches of the Farmers' Union throughout New Zealand. Several replies had been received and tho reading of them reopened the discussion. The president (Mr Lloyd Hammond) stated that the chairman of the Meat Board (Mr T. A. Duncan) had recently returned from England and next week a conference was to take place between the Meat Board and the Farmers’ Union regarding the existing embargo. The Meat Board chairman and the Minister of Agriculture were keen that tho union should do something about the embargo and next week, he anticipated, that a decision would be arrived at. The Minister, when discussing tho proposals in December, expressed himself as being favourable towards them with the exception that he did not like committing the Government to any expenditure in regard to bringing out veterinary officers. However, when it was pointed out to him that the Dairy Division contemplated bringing out 40 veterinary officers from Home, the Minister said that he felt that it might be possible to arrange something. The Minister was told that by bringing stock out in collective consignments there was more chance of detecting carriers than otherwiso and he agreed that this appeared likely. There was no doubt, said Mr Hammond, that something would have to be done to clear the air. Mr D. G. Gordon (Taihape) said that he agreed with the scheme in the main but one or two farmers objected to the idea of having to obtain the consent of breed societies before importing stock. Ho also thought that the proposed regulations "were likely to be somewhat cumbersome, but generally he was in favour of the idea. Mr Hammond did not know whether members were aware, but during the immediate past twelve months there had been 69 separate outbreaks of the disease in England. Mr R. O. Dalrymple (Bulls) thought that the union was relying too much on the opinion of two veterinary officers whose views were at variance with those of 39 other veterinary officers. ‘‘Are we right in backing the opinion of what might be called two fanatics?” he asked. He understood that recently the veterinary officers took a vote on the subject and the voting was 39 to I. “I think you aro right, Mr Dairymple, ” said the president. “Well, then,” said Mr Dalrymple, “might not the 39 be right and the one wrong?” Mr Hammond then explained that two years ago, when the late Government's Minister of Agriculture submitted draft proposals for the amendment of the existing regulations, or embargo, they w r ere turned down. Those regulations were drafted or sup ported by the 39 veterinary officers. They were turned down because farmers had a fear that tho object was to lift the embargo. But that was not the intention; nevertheless, farmers would not listen. The proposed regulations were based largely on those regulations that had been turned down and the idea was to endeavour to educate the farmer as to what was intended. The two veterinary officers who had opposed tho idea of lifting the embargo were unanimous iu their support of the new regulations and it was hoped that-they would be generally supported. They aimed at tightening up the existing methods of importation and arranging for direct shipments. He was well aware of the British quarantine regulations and in drafting the proposed regulations cognisance had been taken of them. The whole idea was to break down the opposition and bring about a clear understanding of tho position. Mr D. Cameron (Turakina) felt that the regulations should make the right appeal to tho vast majority of farmers and breeders. Air Jurgens (Bulls) said it was illuminating to learn of the stringent nature of the British Government’s quarantine regulations and he felt that