Wellington Independent 31 October 1868
Sheep Inspector”s Report (Wellington.)
RETURN of Sheep in May, 1868, all over six months, with amount of Assessment due thereon in the month of August, at the rate of one half- penny per head per annum for the Wellington district.
Name. Residence. Sheep. Assessment. Condition of Flock. Remarks.
…
Allen, George. Waiwetu. 150. 0 6 3. Clean.
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Buck, George. Taita. 295. 0 12 3 1.2. Clean.
Brathwaite, A. Waiwetu. 300. 0 12 6. Clean.
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Death, J. Waiwetu. No return.
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Death, R. RationPoint. No return.
Ellerm, H. & W. Belmont. 200. 0 8 4. Clean.
…
Fraser, T.& A. Taita, No. 1. 500. 1 0 10. Clean.
Fraser, T & A. Taita, No. 2. 300. 0 12 6. Clean.
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Freathy. Lower Hutt. 32. 0 1 9. Clean.
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Gower, John. Ohau. 1400. 2 18 4. Clean.
Golder, J. Belmont. 28. 0 1 2. Clean.
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Hadfield, Rev. Octavuis. Otaki. 1000. 2 1 8. Clean.
Hayward, Thomas. Hutt. 111. 0 4 7 1/2. Clean.
Hughey, David. Taita. 208. 0 8 8. Clean.
…
Harris, J. Nai Nai. 340. 0 14 2. Clean.
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Judd, Stephen. Upper Hutt. 80. 0 3 4. Clean.
Judd, William. Upper Hutt. 90. 0 3 9. Clean.
Judd, Wm, Junr. Waiwetu. 10. 0 0 5. Clean.
Knight, J. & J. Waiwetu. 100. 0 4 2. Clean.
Kilminster (sic), J. & H. Karori. 170. 0 7 1. Clean.
…
Liverton, John. Hutt. 500. 1 0 10. Clean.
Ludlam, Alfred. Hutt. 1222. 2 10 11. Clean.
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Mason, Thos. Taita. 100. 0 4 2. Clean.
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Mabey, J. & T. Upper Hutt. 500. 1 0 10. Clean.
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Peck, Richard. Stokes” Valley. Sold.
Pringle, Alexander. Lower Hutt. 80. 0 3 4. Clean.
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Percy, Henry J. Petoni. 50. 0 2 1. Clean.
…

Wellington Independent 8 January 1869
SHEEP INSPECTOR”S REPORT. Whareama, 30th November, 1869.
Sir,-
I have the honor to forward the following report for the year ending 30th Nov., 1869. I am sorry I am unable to present a more satisfactory one, but as I have already had the honor of forwarding to you an expression of my opinion to the effect that unless some alteration is made in the present Scab Act, Inspectors are powerless to do any real good.
It is a very hard case that many settlers are year after year to be put to a ruinous expense, owing in some cases to reckless mismanagement and in others to carelessness on the part of their neighbours. People who have spent years among diseased sheep and expended large sums in trying to effect a cure, wonder how it is they do not succeed. They have used the best of materials and spared nothing, forgetting that unless they make clean musters all their money and labor is lost.
It has been said fencing is the only sure remedy, and there can be no doubt it is the most certain one; but unfortunately there are few sheepowners in a position to lay out such large sums as would be required to fence most of the East Coast runs. Such being the case, settlers must do the next best thing and that is, perservere and make careful musters. I am aware some people may say it is impossible, without fencing, to eradicate the disease on such rough runs as there are on the East Coast; but it has been done before on several of the largest and certainly as rough runs as any in the District. If the runs are heavier stocked now and the boundaries more open and consequently more difficult to keep, these obstacles are more than counterbalanced by the superior appliances in operation at present to what people had a few years ago.
A mixture of lime and sulphur for dipping has been used in some parts of this district, and from what I have seen of it I believe there is not the slightest doubt but that it will effect a cure. The present clip will prove whether it has an injurious effect on the wool or not, as several flocks in the district had eight months” wool on when they were last dipped. If it should prove a success it will be a great benefit to owners of scabby sheep, as the cost of it is a mere trifle in comparison with that of tobacco.
The use of the above mixture will be of no avail unless it is carefully applied. There can be no doubt that in many cases of failing to clean diseased flocks the failure is as often to be attributed to carelessness in dressing and preparation of material required, as it is owing to insufficient mustering. Hand dressing carefully before dipping is the cheapest and most effectual method of dealing with a diseased flock; there are none of the flocks in this Province too large to follow this system.
In order to give any good grounds of hope for erradicating scab in this district, owners of sheep should be required by law to erect proper appliances for dipping; and in infected districts obliged to dip in the month of March. Several flocks gazetted as scabby are only slightly infected, but as most of the settlers are now shearing it is to be hoped they will be enabled to stop the further progress of the disease.
I have the honor to remain,
Your obedient servant,
THOMAS TELFORD.
Inspector of Sheep East Coast District.
A. F. Halcombe, Esq., Provincial Secretary, Wellington.