The Problem of Scar. 243 



direct tax every sheep owner in a taxable district v.-ould not only keep 

 his sheep clean, but would do his best to make his neighbour do like- 

 wise, so as to escape the direct tax. The tax on individuals might be 

 small, yet the mere fact that it is paid would, it is urged, be the 

 greatest possible inducement to get rid of it. 



At present the inspector is liable to be punished for neglect of 

 duty or bad service, while his chances of reward are small. We must 

 face ilie fact that in an organization which gives no special reward 

 for individual effort and in which the greatest benefit is that acquired 

 by length of service and the pension it carries, the human tendency 

 is to keep an appointment as long as possible. Here, also, is a 

 matter which calls for a change of policy, namely, the introduction 

 of the principle of awarding bonuses. But the bonuses will need to 

 be such as to be a real inducement to an inspector to do his utmost, 

 and to attract the right class of man. A scheme considered by the 

 Board was that an inspector would receive a substantial bonus, in 

 the form of an increase in salary, as soon as his area had been declared 

 clean for a period of, say, twelve months and if he kept it clean for, 

 say, three years an additional bonus would be paid. When as a 

 resvilt of the greater efforts which would ensue, a sufficiently large 

 portion of the country were clean to permit a reduction in the number 

 of inspectors, those whose services might accordingly be dispensed 

 with would have the option of receiving a large bonus or of being 

 transferred at their own salaries to another area which was not clean, 

 with the same ultimate prospect of another substantial bonus when 

 finally their services were no longer required by the Government. If 

 it be objected 'hat the expenditure involved would be too great, the 

 system holds out the prospect of speedily eradicating scab and even- 

 tually saving the hundreds of thousands of pounds which are now 

 expended year after year on a scourge which cannot be removed. And 

 with the passing of scab, there will be available the vast sums now, 

 in a large measure, fruitlessly expended which could be used in 

 developing our agricultural industry. 



We go on from year to year with the high hope that each will 

 see the diminution of scab, but each year seems to bring a train of 

 circumstances which frustrates our best efforts. Indeed we have 

 become familiar with the presence of the disease, and many have 

 become lethargic in their fight against a pest which is causing great 

 loss to the community. We have an army of sheep inspectors charged 

 with assisting the farmer in his dipping operations, educating him, 

 and generall}^ controlling the spread of scab, but many farmers do 

 not give sufficient attention to their dipping, and in other ways are 

 responsible for the continuance of the insect in our flocks, nor are 

 the penalties inflicted by our laws sufficiently stringent apparently 

 to act as a deterrent or corrective. We need new methods. 



The Advisory Board gives a lead, therefore, to the sheep farmers 

 of the Union. Our past efforts having met with little success, can 

 the scab problem be tackled from the new vantage afforded by the 

 lessons of the past? 



The Department wishes to have the benefit of the views of the 

 frrming community on the subject, and an invitation is now extended 

 to all farmers' associations and other agricultural bodies in the 

 Union to give an expression of opinion on the suggested policy for 

 dealing with scab. All communications should be addressed to the 

 Secretary for Agriculttire, Pretoria. 



