STRAYING STOCK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 3, 24 July 1946, Page 5

STRAYING STOCK

NEED FOR COUNTY POUNDS COUNCILLORS VIEWPOINTS “We don’t seem to be able to clean this position up,” said Cr McGougan at the meeting of the Whakatane County Council yesterday when discussing the growing number of straying stock on County roads. He added that he did not blame the Inspector because he realised that he had so many other responsibilities, but considered that new officials should be appointed to assist him.

The question arose from a letter received from the Waimana Farmers’ Union requesting that a pound be established in that district. Several councillors expressed the view that far to many cows and. horses were at large on the roads, particularly at night. Cr McCready declared that on a recent trip to Ruatoki he had noticed about twenty head between Taneatua and that settlement.

Cr Burt championed the ‘collar’ system, which made it permissable for stock to graze on the road during the day, but required their being taken off at night. , . The engineer announced that the' cost of establishing a pound at Waimana was estimated at £4OO.

Cr McCracken suggested ‘holding paddocks in the districts concerned, adding that the droving fee which had been fixed some forty years ago at a shilling per mile was utterly ridiculous and should be increased.

He was strongly supported by Cr Leslie who mentioned that the penalties today were altogether too light. Good grazing was afforded if a person could get away with it/and if it was .made less inviting t the whole problem would be cleaned up. It was decided that applicants be advised that because of the cost of the establishment of pounds, the Council has represented to the N.Z. Counties’ Association the desirability of legislation being enacted permitting the establishment of pound holding paddocks in districts such as Waimana—that pending a decision in the Council’s representations, this committee is not prepared to make any recomendations on this application.