PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION K. 709 



The veterinary articles were discontinued in The Farm and 

 Home chiefly because the Gazettes and Journals published by the 

 Government Agricultural Departments took up the publication 

 of instructive veterinary articles, and have continued to do so uj) 

 to the present. Other means of enlightening stock-owners and 

 others on veterinary matters were the reading of papers and giving 

 lectures and demonstrations before agricultural societies at th;^ 

 annual agricultural conventions, and at the annual conferences of 

 the Butter Factory Managers' Association. A series of lectures on 

 horse-shoeing and first veterinary aid was given at the Working 

 Men's College. This work had all been done by private individuals, 

 but is now more effectively carried on by the veterinary ofiicers 

 of the Agricultural Department. 



First Attempt to Secure State Veterinary School. 



In 1882 the Veterinary Association succeeded in obtaining, 

 through the then Minister of Lands, the Hon. Walter Madden, a 

 small piece of land in the old police paddock at Richmond as a 

 site for a Veterinary School or College. Although the site was much 

 too small for the purpose, we were glad to get it, in the hope that 

 we might be able to exchange it at some future date for a more 

 suitable one. In this, however, we were disappointed. When it 

 was found that we had made no use of it, and being further 

 influenced by a deputation of Richmond residents who objected to 

 a Veterinary College being established in their midst, the Govern- 

 ment cancelled the grant. It will be of interest to relate that 

 Mr. G. Mitchell had, on his own initiative, instructed an architect 

 to draw plans of the proposed college, and the Veterinary Associa- 

 tion was served with an account for plans and specifications. The 

 association, having had no say in the matter, denied liability; 

 thereupon Mr. Mitchell was personally sued for the amount, and 

 was ordered by the Court to pay the amount and costs. Thir 

 broke up the association, and some years elapsed before another 

 was formed. 



In consequence of representations I had made through the press 

 as to the great prevalence of tuberculosis amongst cattle slaughtered 

 for human consumption, and demonstrations made before the ofiicers 

 of the Stock Department, the matter was brought before the Upper 

 Chamber by the late Hon. James Buchanan, of Berwick, and a 

 Royal Commission was appointed to inquire into it. A voluminous 

 report of the evidence taken was published, together with numerous 

 photographs of meat affected with different stages of the disease. 

 As an outcome of this, a staff of inspectors was appointed to inspe* 

 at the abattoirs and markets, and it was also decided to appoint a 

 qualified veterinary surgeon to inspect the City Abattoirs and take 

 statistics of the number of diseased animals slaughtered, and the 

 diseases, &c. Unfortunately, no suitable applicant turned up, and 

 the appointment was never made. 



