STRAY DOG MENACE

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1948, Page 8

STRAY DOG MENACE

More To Have Registration Fee Raised Voicirig concern at 'the alarming dog nuisance in Levin and district, a ' deputation from ' the Levin branch of Federated Farmers wait-' ed on the Horowhenua County Council yesterday with the suggesuion that the registration fees for both dogs aiid f,emales be raised, _ and that the county. ranger btr 7 given power to destroy all dogs not wearing collars. - "If a dog is a good one the owner should be willing to pay," said Mr. D. A. Stewart, a member of the deputation. "There are far too many dogs running around, and rangers should be • given more powers, he added. • "People do not realise the damage done by dogs in the Course of : a year," said Mr. H. Marsh, another member of the deputa- ! tion. "I would pay £2 to register my dog if my losses in sheep were cut down." * . '

Citing cases where to his knowledge farmers had lost sheep to the value of £100, £50 and £30 in the course of a year, Mr. J.*A. Mitchell, the third party to the deputation, added his weight to the represenoations. The suggesion of the deputation was that the fee should be £1 for dogs and £1 10s for females, or pertiaps £1 for both. In his investigations of sheep worrying he had found 'that the offenders were females in the majority of cases, said Mr. W. W. V. Cressey, the county ranger." He agreed that if the fee was raised it would do away with some of the more useless dogs. He thought the council should make it harder for dog owners to r.egister their dogs, said Cr. D. K. Guy. The council was proyiding a service by collecting the fees, bqt the onus was on the owner to see that his dogs were registered. He thought that they" should be made to come into the oflice,; and tlie council proceed against those owners who did not do so, The raising of the fee would not get over the ' difficulty. In regard to the suggestion that the ranger be instructed to destroy dogs not wearing 'collars, he thought that the ranger would need a "regiment of soldiers to back him up."

Cr. E. R. Winkler said he would not be surprised if there were 1000 sheep a year killed in the district as a result of worrying. He thought that more publicity should be given to sheep losses. Cr. W. G. Taylor said he thought that if dogs were compelled to be tied up at nights it would help more. The present fee for dogs was 10s, except that farmers could register up to three working dogs for 2s 6d each, said the clerk, Mr. F. H. Hudson. That was the general rate ana the council had no- power to increase it. • The question was not a new one, said the chairman, Mr. A. M. Colquhoun. He doubted if an increased fee would make any difference. There .would probably be more unregis'tered dogs if it were increased. One thing did remain, however, and it was that if an owner found a dog with no collar on his property he was entitled to shoot it. The council could not alter the Act, but it would do whatever it could. Mr. Hudson said the Act was an old one datlng back to 1908, and there was a move afoot to have it brought up to date. There was also a move to have the fee for females raised to £2 10s, as it appeared that the main emphasis was being placed on the control of females. After further discussion it was decided that no recommendations would be put forward at this stage, as the matter was on the agenda for the Counties' Association confer.ence and some interesting comment might arise from that which might be a guide to the council. It was decided to defer the matter jtill next month's meeting.