COUNCIL LAUGHS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 42, 28 July 1939, Page 4

COUNCIL LAUGHS

FARM-GATE COMEDY

OLD SUBJECT CROPS UP In the period when Whakatane was without a newspaper the Whakatane County Council had a difficult prob_ lem on its hands, entailing the provision of access to a farmer at Wai-vjp mana Avho was compelled to pass through a neighbour's farm to cross the river and get to tKe main road. The parties were Mr G. KirkbrideS and Mr H. A. Wardlaw and after they had waited on the council and put their cases it was decided that gates should be fitted ; to a bridge u* order to keep Mr Wardlaw's stock in,Y as he objected to the road across his night paddock being fenced and the paddock divided. At Tuesday's meeting of the coun_ cil it was reported that a complaint had been received that gates on, Kirk bride's road were not always being closed, and it was resolve cf that the farmers concerned should be advised that the gates be kept shut and fastened except when in use, th'? Fencing Act providing that it is offence punishable by a. fine of £5 to •. . leave open gates on public roads. MANY USERS OF ROAD.B^" The council groaned and prepared for the worst when this clause in the minutes of the Works Committee was reached, but some humour was injected into the proceedings when a letter from Mr Kirkbride was readThis gave a list of frequent users of the bridge and road consisting of Waimana cartage contractors, stock agents & cream lorries, the inference being that they might have left 'the gates open. ''Heavens,'' said Cr H. C. McCready. ''Ifs getting to be a big settlement up there. We'll have to tarseal the road." The council laughed. Cr R. F. Wardlaw said tint Mr Kirkbride was a single man and lived on his own . All these people could not go up to his farm every week. Cr A. F. to whom all this was new, asked innocently whe_ ther it would not be possible to fit cattle-stops. The council -roared with laughter, for the cattle-stop question, had been, a, burning one when the council took up the matter. Cr McGougan, looked bewildered for a moment at the council's levity, and muttered in hurt tones that fre was not so dense as the council appeared to think him. Cr L. W. Luxton in asides explained to him ■ the point of the joke. "It is a riding matter"' said Cr C. T. Smith. ''The rding councillors \ should attend to it.'' There was more laughte'"* when Cr Wardlaw looked a little glum.