39 



Colouies, whether they have originally come from abroad or not. 

 If it were the risk of introducing these diseases into Australia 

 would be almost wholly removed ; and if Great Britain and Ireland 

 were free from foot and mouth disease, the prohibition now in 

 force— so far as regards Great Britain and Ireland — might be 

 removed, and stock from them admitted on their undergoing a 

 safe quarantine in Australia. 



As it is very essential, for the reasons which I have already 

 stated, that the prohibition against the importation into these 

 Colonies of live stock from Great Britain (which was principally 

 aimed at foot and mouth disease) should not be continued any- 

 longer than is necessary, I suggested to Sir Charles Cowper the 

 expediency of obtaining monthly reports from the Secretary of 

 Her Majesty's Veterinary Department, London, as to the pre- 

 valence in Great Britain and Ireland of this and other infectious 

 diseases in stock, for transmission to the Government here, with 

 the view to action being taken for the withdrawal of the prohi- 

 bition so soon as Great Britain and Ireland were free from foot 

 and mouth disease, as they now are from cattle plague and 

 sheep-pox. The suggestion met with his approval, and definite 

 information on the subject may be expected by each monthly 

 mail. •' 



From no other part of the world (with the exceptions men- 

 tioned), should any stock whatever be allowed to be introduced 

 into these Colonies ; for while the animals that could be imported 

 from other places would rather deteriorate than improve our stock, 

 there is also very great risk that they would be the means of 

 introducing malignant diseases among oiir cattle and sheep. This 

 would be especially the case with stock from India and China, 

 where cattle plague is now raging, and carrying off from 80 to 90 

 per cent, of the animals affected ; and there cannot possibly be 

 too great vigilance exercised by all the Colonies, but especially by 

 Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland, whose 

 northern territory lies so near to Asia, in seeing that the pro- 

 hibition IS sti'ictly carried out. If this is not efficiently done, 

 we may find that foot and mouth disease, cattle plague, or some 

 deadly disease peculiar to tropical Countries has been introduced 

 by some comparatively worthless Timor pony, buffalo cow, pig, 

 or goat, and ia decimating our flocks and herds. 



VI.— JOINT ACTION BY THE AUSTEALIAN 



COLONIES. 



As has been already explained in mr letter to the "London 

 A eteriuanan," it would be of comparatively little use for this 

 Colony to enact any law for the eradication of pleuro-pueumouia, 



