98
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

be fairer than the present system. It would not only
be fairer, but it would materially lessen the amount
of the Chief Inspector's office work, and leave him
more time to attend to more important duties in the
country.

The objection which might be alleged against such
a proposition, that it would be introducing a bad
principle, -viz., a tax upon exports, -would not hold,
as this would be a special impost for a special purpose,
solely connected with and for the advantage of the
wool-producing interest. It would be so small that
it would never be felt, and would save all the trouble
and annoyance of 1,700 or 1,800 persons sending small
sums through the Post Office.

The number of sheep specially inspected at sales
and elsewhere since the first appointment of Inspec-
tors in June, 1870, up to the 30th September last, is
over 400,000.

Miles travelled by Sub-Inspectors 20,752
Miles travelled by Chief Inspector 3,500
24,252

I am in receipt of the Reports of Chief Inspectors
of Sheep in all the neighbouring Colonies, excepting
New Zealand.

New South Wales, with 16,195,893 sheep, is
reported free from scab.

South Australia, with 4,400,000 sheep, is reported
free from scab.

Queensland, with 7,693,109 sheep, is reported
free from scab.

Victoria, with 10,000,000 sheep, had, in August
last, 802,290 under licence.

But the Chief Inspector remarks in his Report,
"I may also add that, amongst the whole of the sheep
now in quarantine, probably not 3,000 could be found,
or indeed exist, on which scab is visible."

In New South Wales and Queensland the cost of
inspection is paid from a fund raised by an impost
on sheep. In South Australia it is paid from the
General Revenue or Land Fund, and the same in
Victoria at present; but in the present Session of
Parliament, the Chief Secretary informs me, under
date the 7th of September, "We propose to introduce
an important amendment into the present Act, by
inserting a provision in it, casting the entire expense
connected with its administration on the owners of
sheep; a principle borrowed from the Act in force
in the adjoining Colony of New South Wales."

At the present date I am in receipt of Reports
from the District Inspectors, showing that clean
certificates have been granted for 126,916 sheep,*
principally in the Envandale, Longford, Campbell
Town, Ross, Fingal, and Hamilton Districts. If the
general dipping is carried out during the ensuing
season in the way I hope to see it done, I believe
there is every reason to expect that those who are
not in a position to obtain clean certificates by this
time next year will be in the minority.

The several subjects I have referred to do not all
of them perhaps directly bear upon the primary object
of this Report, -viz., the working of "The Scab Act,
1870," -but if they have not a direct bearing upon it,
they are closely associated with the interests of the
sheep and cattle holding class, and I trust are also of

• Although clean certificates have been granted for 126,916
  sheep only, I believe that number does not embrace half the
  number of sheep whose owners might claim clean certificates if
  they were to muster their sheep for the purpose; but, in anticipa-
  tion of an extension of the eighteen months over the present
  shearing season, they prefer waiting until they have shorn and
  dipped their sheep again, and thus avoid an additional muster,
  which an application for a clean certificate at present would
  involve.

sufficient importance to the public at large to warrant
my bringing them under your notice.

I have, &c.,

JAMES WHITE,
Chief Inspector of Sheep.

The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.

(Α.)

MEMO. ON SCAB BILL, 1869.

Mr. White's Estimate of the Annual Loss through
the existence of Scab.
£

1. Increased quantity of wool, say 500,000
   lbs. at 1s. 3d. per lb. ... 31,250

2. Increased value of present quantity as
   shipped in 1864, 1865, 1867, 1868, aver-
   age of 4 years 5,099,950 lbs. at 2d. per
   lb. ... 42, 499

3. Cost of dressing annually for tobacco,
   drugs, and additional labour in dressing,
   taking an average of estimates, say £10
   per 1,000 sheep on 1,736,946, the aver-
   age number for the years 1864, 1865,
   1867, 1868 ... 17,000

4. Smaller amount of labour for the manage-
   ment of sheep generally if they were all
   clean, say 400 men at £50 per annum 20,000

5. Increased number and weight of fat
   sheep, and increased value of export of
   rams ... 10,000

Total ... ... ... £120, 749

Mr. Robert Clerk's (of Malahide) Estimate.
£

1. 850,000 lbs. wool at 1s. per lb. ... 42,500

2. Increased value of wool on quantity
   shipped in 1867, if sheep were clean ... 68,576

3. Cost of dressing, &c. ... 13,600

4. Saving of labour and management ... 21,000

Total ... ... ... £145, 676

Mr. Clerk made no definite estimate for increased
number of fat sheep and export of rams, but, in his
letter, states that the latter would be large.

(B.)

Revised Estimate of probable Annual Gain to be
derived from the complete Eradication of Scab.
£

1. Increased quantity of wool, say 562,500
   lbs., or 6 oz. per sheep, at 1s. 4d. per lb. 37, 500

2. Increased value of present quantity,
   taking 5,000,000 lbs. as an average, at 3d.
   per lb. ... 52,083

3. Cost of dressing annually for tobacco,
   drugs, and additional labour in dressing
   under the old system of spotting every
   few weeks ... 13,500

4. Saving of the labour of 500 men at £50
   each ... 25,000

5. Increased number and value of fat
   sheep, say ... 10,000

6. Increased export of rams and ewes to
   the neighbouring Colonies, say ... 5,000

Total ... ... ... £143,083

This calculation is based upon the assumption that,
when scab is eradicated in Tasmania, dipping sheep
will wholly cease, excepting for the destruction of
ticks; and that will only be required at intervals of