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This article was published in 1967
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INSTITUTE OF INSPECTORS OF STOCK OF N.S.W. YEAR BOOK.
The Evolution of the Stock Inspector Service in the Nineteenth Century
W. L. HINDMARSH, B.V.Sc., M.R.C.V.S., D.V.H., Honorary Archivist, Australian Veterinary Association
The New South Wales Stock Inspector (the title Stock Inspector has been changed to Veterinary Inspector since the inspectors are now graduate veterinarians) Service was unique in that the inspectors were appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, they took their instructions concerning their chief task, disease control, from the Chief Inspector of Stock and they carried out varied duties for the Pastures Protection Boards which provided office accommodation and paid their salaries. I have always wondered how such a system of dual control developed. It seemed to me that the ministerial department responsible for the carrying out of the laws regarding animal disease should surely be responsible for at least part of the payment of the salaries of the officers who administered these laws.
For a very long time Stock Inspectors had a great variety of tasks associated with P.P. Board work in addition to the work in disease control and it has been remarkable that under this system of dual control there has been so little friction between Board and the Department, although, even from the first appointment of a Chief Inspector of Sheep, complaints about the so-called arbitrary decisions of the Chief Inspector have been made to Ministers. When I started to trace the origin of the system. I found that the appointment of inspectors was so inextricably mixed with disease legislation that I decided that my only recourse was to review the whole of the animal disease and associated legislation. This led to the writing of a series of articles for the 'Australian Veterinary Journal', the first of which appeared in the March issue of this year. It is inevitable that some of the information collected for the journal series will appear in this article.
In the early days of the Colony the Governor was all-powerful. Proclamations and regulations made by him were administered by the police and by Benches of Magistrates composed of Justices of the Peace appointed by the Governor. The more serious offences were dealt with by Courts of Criminal or Civil Judicature presided over by the Judge Advocate of the Colony. It will be noted as this article progresses that animal disease legislation evolved to suit local conditions. In the early days cattle and sheep spread out as squatters took up land further and further afield. There was no such legislation and no means of enforcing it. Justices, in whom authority was vested, were private citizens with their own businesses and interests and could give limited time to police court proceedings. Only as the stock numbers increased and their products were an economic asset to the Colony was it realised that stock disease control legislation was necessary. When one thinks of the diverse origin of the animals imported, one wonders that so little infectious disease was introduced, but probably the long voyages with the hardship of sea travel weeded out all but the strongest. It is known that in the first 20 years of the life of the Colony only about 20 per cent of the animals shipped to New South Wales reached their destination.
W. A. N. Robertson says that the earliest service of a veterinary nature was the appointment of a "Public Castrator". The title sounds ominous but the officer had to deal with straying wild animals which were a menace to people and gardens. The first appointment of inspectors I have been able to find is in a proclamation by Governor Macquarie of 1812 "requiring that no person shall keep or use any house or place for the purpose of slaughtering any bullock, ox, steer, cow, heifer or calf without first taking out a licence from a Justice". The proclamation required that six hours' notice of slaughter be given to an inspector. The object of this was to assist in the detection of cattle thieves.
In 1824 the first Legislative Council was appointed. It had power to make laws but its enactments had to have the approval of the Governor. A Cattle Slaughtering Act was passed in 1830 under which inspectors were appointed by the Government. It was comprehensive and inspectors had wide powers. Notification of intended slaughter was necessary and records had to be kept of all animals killed and inspected. The Act was re-enacted in 1832 and amended in 1834 to tighten control, especially as regards keeping hides intact and the interference with brands. Inspectors were paid threepence per head of animals inspected.
The bane of the sheep industry from the very foundation of the Colony was "Scab" or psoroptic mange. By 1832 the wool industry had become very important to the economics of the young Colony, and 31 million lb. of wool were exported to England. The prevalence of Scab led to the enactment of the first stock disease legislation. It was for the prevention of the spread of Scab and was to be in force for two years only. The provisions were based on the premise that prevention of the movement of infected animals alone, would prevent the spread of disease. It forbade the travelling of infected sheep on public roads in the settled part of the Colony. In 1834 it was passed again without a time limit and in 1835 was made to apply to all parts of the Colony. By this Act a Justice could give a warrant to a "fit and proper person" to examine sheep on suspicion of infection. Justices could also issue a warrant for the removal of infected sheep to a certain destination, lay down the route and set a limit for the journey. In this we see the origin of the "movement order" of today. It will be of some satisfaction to you to know that the very earliest inspectors were "fit and proper persons".
Catarrh of sheep was the next disease to receive attention by the Legislative Council. This disease, the cause of which was never determined, is stated to have killed many thousands of sheep in Queensland and New South Wales. It was also recorded in Victoria. Reports of the deaths of 70 per cent or 80 per cent of flocks were not uncommon. The disease disappeared spontaneously, the last case being reported in New South Wales in 1870. It is inconceivable that the claim that the disease was eradicated by Government measures, as was made by one or two early writers, has sound foundation and this complete disappearance of a highly infectious disease of the respiratory tract constitutes an epidemiological puzzle. In 1838 an Act for the prevention of the spread of the disease commonly called Catarrh or Influenza of sheep was passed. Like the Scab Act it merely restricted movement of infected sheep. It was to be in force for two years but was re-enacted in 1840 and again in 1842.
Meanwhile squatters had got out as far as the Darling River and had taken their diseases with them. In 1840 it was estimated that there were over 4,000,000 sheep in New South Wales. However, numbers were reduced by drought in 1842 and there was severe financial depression in 1843 and 1844. Cattle and sheep changed hands at fantastically low prices.
In 1843, by an amendment to the Cattle Slaughtering Act, slaughter house inspectors were appointed by the Council of the City of Sydney and Councils of other cities and towns instead of by the Government. The Catarrh and Scab Acts were consolidated into one Act in 1846 but with little change in their provisions. Up to 1850 there had been no restriction on the location of slaughter houses in the city, but with the growth of the city, slaughtering and allied trades were creating a nuisance. In that year the Slaughtering Act was amended and existing licensees were given five years to get out of the city area. Provision was made for the centralisation of city slaughtering at Glebe Island. For the first time disease in stock is mentioned in an amendment of the Act in 1851. It was made an offence to take diseased stock into a slaughter house or to sell meat from a diseased carcass. The definition of disease under the Act was "an animal of which the milt or spleen was diseased". "Die of disease" however, meant all cases of death other than by slaughtering.
All previous Acts concerning Scab and Catarrh were repealed by a new Act in 1851. In addition to the prohibition of the travelling of infected sheep, they had to be branded and the disease notified. Infected sheep included all sheep which had been in contact with infected sheep within three weeks. In 1854 another amendment made destruction of infected sheep compulsory within 14 days of being found affected with Scab. Owners could claim 14/- per head of sheep destroyed from the Colonial Treasurer. No compensation was payable when sheep were destroyed by order of an inspector. Inspectors were appointed by the Governor and to meet the cost of compensation and administration there was to be an annual levy on all sheep payable to the Court of Petty Sessions. So now we have the beginning of the system by which the stockowners paid into a fund to provide the salary of inspectors and to give compensation to less fortunate or less careful fellow graziers. Next year still more drastic provisions were imposed. Owners had to pay a penalty of 2/6 per head of infected sheep not destroyed voluntarily and prior notice of intention to destroy had to be given to an inspector. All travelling sheep had to be branded with the initial of the owner's surname. Sheep from adjoining colonies had to be accompanied with a certificate of freedom from Scab. All imported sheep had to be dipped at the port of landing.
In 1855 the Colony became self-governing with a parliament of two chambers, the lower one being elected and having executive authority. In 1858 owners were permitted to destroy infected sheep on their properties and shear the sheep or boil down the carcasses for tallow and fellmonger the skins. The wool and skins had to be baled for export. No compensation was paid for sheep which were shorn or made use of, but otherwise a payment of 4/- per head was payable for sheep destroyed. Inspectors must have had a busy time checking on travelling sheep, supervising sheep destruction and shearing and the packing and baling of skins and wool.
Up till this time Scab and Catarrh had been the only diseases which had been the sources of serious loss, but now Anthrax and Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia were beginning to take their toll. In 1861 the first Act relating to cattle disease was passed. It was The Cattle Diseases Prevention Act which regulated the introduction of cattle into the Colony. It was aimed specifically at Pleuro-pneumonia of cattle which had invaded Victoria but it was too late in application to afford protection to New South Wales.
By 1863 it was evident that the measures so far taken to deal with Scab had failed, the disease was still spreading. In this year a new Scab Act was brought in. Under it the Governor was empowered to appoint a Chief Inspector of Sheep. to proclaim sheep districts and to arrange for the sheep owners in these districts to elect Boards. The Boards of Directors of sheep districts could appoint inspectors subject to the approval of the Governor. To meet the cost of administration an annual levy was payable by sheep owners to the nearest Clerk of Petty Sessions. Alexander Bruce was appointed Chief Inspector of Sheep and for the first time in the history of the Colony there was centralisation of control of an animal disease. Bruce was an officer of the Lands Department, there being no Department of Agriculture. It was indeed fortunate that Bruce was such an able and energetic man. He had no veterinary qualifications but in the course of his long reign as Chief Inspector he acquired a knowledge of animal diseases which commanded the respect of veterinary authorities of other countries when he went abroad. Under this Act the inspectors were scab inspectors only but they could inspect sheep in districts other than their own if so ordered by the Chief Inspector. There were heavy penalties for the failure to report Scab and wide publicity of the presence of Scab on a property was given. When Scab was reported, an inspector could give a licence to the owner to keep his sheep on his property for cleansing. Cleansing meant treatment with some medicament approved by the Chief Inspector. All infected sheep had to be branded with the letter "S". An inspector could quarantine properties and order destruction of infected sheep. Owners could claim compensation for sheep destroyed by order of an inspector. Sheep from other colonies could cross into New New South Wales only at specified crossing places, and then only if they were certified free from Scab by an inspector of the colony of origin. The Chief Inspector himself was responsible for a 30-mile wide strip of the coast. The levy on stockowners was £1 per 1000 sheep.
In 1866 all legislation relating to disease of sheep was repealed by a new Act. As before, provision was made for sheep districts and directors, who could appoint inspectors subject to the Governor's approval. Inspectors could be suspended by a Board or by the Chief Inspector who had control of all inspectors. All directors could act as inspectors (unpaid). No inspector could be an owner or dealer in sheep. Inspectors could order the destruction of infected sheep but an owner had the right of appeal against the inspector's order. Sheep travelling from an infected area had to be examined and declared clean before a permit to travel could be given by an Inspector and had to be branded with the letter "T". Sheep coming in by sea could be landed only at Sydney, Eden, Newcastle, or Grafton under quarantine restrictions. If not infected they had to be treated three times at ten-day intervals, but if infected they were subjected to further treatment and could be kept in quarantine for as long as six months. The Chief Inspector was empowered to specify the treatment. At first a preparation of tobacco and sulphur was used but this was replaced by the lime sulphur dip. I can recall in the early 1920s seeing the 400 gallon ship's tanks still on stations in the west of the State in which the lime and sulphur were boiled up. It had to be applied hot to be effective and the tanks were alongside the iron dips in which the sheep were hand-dipped. Swim dips were not used in Scab treatment because of the impossibility of keeping the large amount of medicament at the required temperature of 110F.
A Registration of Brands Act was passed in 1866 to provide for the registration of brands on cattle and horses but the Registrar of Brands was the Registrar General of the Colony and police officers and Justices were the officers appointed to examine travelling statements to ascertain their correctness. It was not until 1874 that the Chief Inspector of Sheep became the Registrar of Brands and Sheep Inspectors became inspectors under the amended Brands Act.
The recognition for the stricter control of introduced animal diseases is shown by the passage of the Cattle Diseases Prevention Act of 1866 which applied to Sheep, goats and swine as well as cattle. Port inspectors were given wide powers to deal with animals, stalls, fittings, fodder, manure and all other possible carriers of infection on board ship. A cattle disease fund was established from the collection of one halfpenny per head of cattle from every owner of more than 24 cattle. In 1871 another Act to prevent the introduction of infectious animal disease was passed. It applied to all animals introduced by sea not the produce of Australian Colonies. That inspectors were active is illustrated by the gift of five fine Southdown sheep to the Governor by the Captain of the ship 'Sobraon'. The Governor was absent from Sydney at the time and the Captain, unaware of the colony's legislation, released the sheep in the Government House domain. Mr. Yeo, a Sydney District sheep inspector, heard about the occurrence, inspected the sheep and diagnosed Scab. The introductions were destroyed, the Governor's flock declared infected and the Captain found himself liable to a fine of £100.
The year 1874 was momentous for the stock industry. In it the Mines Department was separated from the Lands Department and with it went Bruce and all the inspectors, Bruce immediately proposed the formation of an Agricultural Department but without success. In this year Bruce arranged the first conference of the Chief Inspectors of Stock of the various colonies, which was attended by representatives of Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Bruce wanted all the colonies to agree to take similar action in animal disease control. Whilst in principle the other Chiefs agreed with most of Bruce's proposals, Bruce was not successful in inducing them to recommend to their governments the adoption of a Stock Disease Control Bill he had drafted (From 1860 onward there was an ending to the squatting on large unoccupied lands near watercourses and the beginning of improvements such as fencing and water supplies. Because of the spread of Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia sheep numbers increased greatly whilst cattle numbers declined).
It will be of interest to you to know that in 1870, C. Bruce Lowe was appointed Inspector of Stock at Glen Innes. He is better known as the originator of the Bruce Lowe figure system of estimating the potential abilities of young racehorses according to their breeding.
A new Act to amend the previous sheep Acts was passed in 1878. There was no change in the previously gazetted sheep districts nor in the appointment of inspectors. However, it made provision for the registration of sheep brands and marks. Persons in charge of travelling sheep had to carry a statement giving the descriptions and brands of the sheep in their charge. This had to be produced on demand by a police officer or an inspector. Travelling sheep had to be marked with the letter "T" and the owner had to get a permit to travel from an inspector. The Act also laid down the daily travelling distances for sheep and cattle, namely: cattle, ten miles per day, and sheep, six miles per day. Every inspector had to keep in his office a record of all brands and marks issued by him. We can take note here that the inspectors who were previously merely searchers for scabby sheep were having more and more duties imposed upon them.
There was a further increase of duties in 1880 when the Pastures and Stock Protection Act was passed. The Act was for the protection of pastures and it was made compulsory for landowners to destroy rabbits on their properties. Existing sheep districts became districts, and sheep inspectors, inspectors under the Act. However, the Boards of Directors were altered. They were now to consist of eight members of the sheep district with three elected members from owners of large stock. The Boards could levy rates and pay bonuses on animals destroyed. Noxious animals were marsupials, native dogs or dogs that had run wild and any other animals to which the Act might be extended. Although sheep inspectors were automatically inspectors under this Act, the Boards could appoint additional inspectors of rabbits and noxious animals. Under the Diseases of Sheep Acts all moneys received from levies on stockowners were paid to the Colonial Treasurer and claims were paid by him; but under this Act the levies were collected by the Boards and paid into an account in a local bank. The account was controlled by the Board and compensation paid as directed by it. In an amendment of the following year new qualifications were laid down for the election of directors and any owner who defaulted in the destruction of noxious animals could be brought to court and faced heavy penalties.
By a regulation of February 6, 1888, under the Sheep Act of 1866 and amending Acts of 1878 and 1882, a Stock Board of examiners was appointed to examine persons who intended to apply for the appointment of Inspector of Sheep. The Chairman of the Board of Sheep Directors, The Chief Inspector of Stock and such duly qualified veterinary surgeon as the Minister might from time to time appoint constituted the Board. The constitution of the Board is interesting because it gives official recognition to the Board of Sheep Directors which corresponds in some respects with the present-day Council of Advice, refers to Bruce as Chief Inspector of Stock, the title conferred on him by the Cattle Export Act of 1864. but still refers to the examination for the position of Inspector of Sheep. The Board was empowered to grant a certificate to successful candidates and any person unable to produce such certificate would not be eligible for appointment. Applicants had to be between 25 and 50 years of age, to be conversant with the various Acts regarding diseases, branding and marking, slaughtering, travelling and impounding stock, destruction of noxious animals, Public Watering Places, dividing fences and travelling stock routes. In addition the applicant had to have a practical knowledge of stock and their diseases and even to have a general knowledge of Rinderpest, Foot and Mouth Disease, Glanders, Farcy, Swine Fever and Rabies. In 1895 at the first examination of which I have been able to find record, C. J. Vyner, M.R.C.V.S. was successful and was appointed Sheep Inspector to the Armidale District. He was the first academically-trained veterinarian to be appointed as an inspector. At the same time he was secretary to the Board. The Dairies Supervision Act was passed in 1886. This had no relation to the work of the Sheep Boards but it did provide for some inspection of dairy cattle and diseases scheduled under the Act were Apthae, Cancer, Pleuro-pneumonia, Splenic Fever, Tuberculosis, inflammations, eruptions and warts on the udder.
In 1888 the proposal to kill rabbits with microbic diseases led to the passage of an Animals' Infectious Diseases Act. This was to prevent the introduction, keeping, inoculation and distribution of infectious microbes unless a licence was obtained from the Minister of Lands.
In his annual report of 1889 Bruce said that there were 48 inspectors in 62 districts. Contagious Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia had occurred on 195 properties and tail vaccination was practised on 165 of these. He complained that although inspectors were authorised to act under the Sheep Diseases Acts, the Brands Act, the Pastures Protection Act, the Public Watering Places Act and the Impounding and Slaughtering Acts, they could take no action in the case of Tuberculosis of cattle although it was common knowledge that infected animals were in the herds supplying the people with milk.
In 1889 bonuses from threepence to one shilling were paid for 329,683 hares.
In 1896 an Act to amend the Imported Stock Acts of 1871 and 1884 was passed. This gave the Governor power to declare any Colony infected in respect of any disease proclaimed under the Act. Imported stock were "stock arriving in New South Wales by land or sea from any place whatsoever". The Governor could make regulations for the inspection, disinfection, treatment in quarantine, seizure of imported stock and animal products. By 1900 the Boards were becoming more aggressive in their approaches to the Government for reforms in the legislation dealing with pastures and stock protection. The formation of a Council of Advice with its office in the city gave opportunities for personal approach to Departments and Ministers. The Boards were no longer satisfied to be only imposers of levies and payers of scalp bonuses. They wanted control of pests, travelling stock routes and reserves and more authority to act independently.
By the Rabbit Act of 1901 the Minister was empowered to constitute Rabbit Districts and Boards of four elected members with a Chairman appointed by the Governor. It was financed by a levy on sheep and caitle. Boards could erect barrier fences on public and private land. Inspectors could be appointed by the Governor.
Bruce effected a major advance when the Stock Act, 1901, was passed. This repealed the Catarrh in Sheep Act, Cattle Export Act, Brands Act, Diseases in Sheep Act, Imported Stock Act and any acts amending these. The Chief Inspector was ex-officio member of all Sheep Boards. The provisions of all the repealed Acts were combined into this one Act. The Sheep Districts remained as before and inspectors were required to keep records of sheep marks and brands for their districts. When an inspector was not available to go to any place where disease was notified, the nearest Director was obliged to go and take necessary control measures, Inspectors could quarantine, take possession of sheep and kill one sheep for evidence of disease. All travelling sheep had to be branded with the letter "T" and the person in charge had to carry a travelling statement. Stock rates were still payable to the Colonial Treasurer. Under Part IV of the Act the definition of disease was any contagious disease of stock and infected stock as any affected with disease or that had been in contact or on the same vessel during the preceding three months.
In 1902 the first Pastures Protection Act was passed. It was to consolidate and amend the Acts relating to the rabbit pest and to the protection of livestock from the depredations of noxious animals and to cattle and sheep diseases and other purposes incidental thereto. The chief difference to previous legislation was in the constitution of the Pastures Boards. The Board was to consist of seven Directors elected under the Act with a Chairman appointed by the Governor. In every P.P. District which had a Rabbit Board under the 1901 Rabbit Act the four Directors were Directors together with two to be elected. Three members of the Board had to retire each year. The Government could appoint inspectors who would be under the control of the Minister, but be paid by the Boards at salaries determined by the Minister. Much of the Act was devoted to rabbit control but Part IV referred to sheep diseases. Although Scab had been absent from the State for many years reference is made to the authority of the inspector to kill scabby sheep. The Inspector still controlled travelling stock, sheep marks and brands and quarantine of imported sheep.
I have taken this review two years past the nineteenth century because Alexander Bruce retired in 1902 and I feel that with his retirement an important era ended. At the foundation of the colony in 1788 there was no stock inspection service. During the nineteenth century inspectors were appointed, first by Justices of the Peace, then by the Crown; in 1888 a qualifying examination was introduced and although nominated by Boards, Inspectors could only be appointed by the Crown. Their salaries were paid from consolidated revenue, but were debited against rates collected from stockowners and paid to the Treasury through Clerks of Petty Sessions. In all the legislation there is no reference to the payment of travelling allowances to inspectors although from time to time Acts make provision for travelling expenses for Board members. Since an Inspector could not carry out his duties without horses it is strange that legislation did not provide for the upkeep of horses and vehicles.
From 1902 to the present day there have been vast changes in the duties and responsibilities of the Stock Inspector, now the Veterinary Inspector. Much important legislation has been passed in the period, but this must await another article.