THE NEW BYE-LAWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 90, 13 October 1893, Page 2

THE NEW BYE-LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THK STAII. Sib, — Can you tell me who drafted the new Bye*laws of the Feilding Borough : They contain a few good regulations, but very few. There arc a certain number of unnecessary ones such as No. 3*20 re furious driving No. 5-27 re ruleot road, Nc 5 33 re wilfully breaking windows, No. 5-45 re mahcious.lv defacing or removing bells, lamps, knockers, etc., No. 5-48 against wilfully setting chimneys on fire, nnd several of a like nature. All these offences must be punishable by law already. The building Bye~laws are absurd, as already pointed out in your columns by Mr S. Goodbehere. Undei them I cannot build a dog- kennel or w.c. with studs less than 4x2, or without firsi depositing plans, etc., with the inspector and getting his approval after sever daj's delay. The interpretation clause to part 5, defines " cattle " as including cattle, sheep, horses, etc. No. 5-30 forbids the driving of cattle between the hours of noon and sundown without pen mission. As the saleyards are in the Borough this will greatly inconvenience farmers, and will tend to drive trade to such places as Colyton and Awahuri, because it cannot be expected that buyers of stock will go poking about the town to find the City Fathers whenever they have made a purchase. It is reiterated in a most paiuful manner that it is for bidden to deposit budding material on the roads or streets, but as far as I can see there is nothing against obstructing a thoroughfare with firewood. Fart 6-30 presents a poor swagger man travelling with stock, or a contractor, from erecting his tent within the Borough without permission. That is to say, if a man after a long day's journey wishes to pitch his tent on Mr Pharazyn's property on the Makino road, or Mr Hitchman's on the Kimbolton rosd, or on tho Kiwitea river-, bed, he cannot do so until he obtains permission in writing from the Inspector. The framers of these Bye-laws will probably reply to my objections : "It is not the intention of the Feilding Borough Council to strictly enforce thesa Bye* laws." I know it is not — because they can't. The whole available force of the Council, Mayor, Councillors, Clerk, Inspector of Nuisances. Poundkeeper, Banger, Roadmen, and Constable, if constantly employed at nothing else, could not enforce them. I bave alwajs understood that one of tho fuodimental principles of a good code of laws was that all the laws should ba of such a nature that they can be easily and strictly en* forced, otherwise the laws are brought into contempt, tbe peoplo get gradually accustomed to break the less important of them, and from that to commit more serious crimes. The only conclusion I can come to about these Bye-laws is, that they were "|done by contract." A lawyer drafted tbem at per folio, and they were printed at per inch. I am, etc., G. E. Little.