Correspondence

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 93, 17 October 1893, Page 2

Correspondence

THE BOBOUGH BYE-LAWS. TO THE EDITOR OF THK STAK. Sib, — Those bye-laws again ! It was rith pleasure I read the various letters n your recent issues on the abore sub. iect, but I regret you hare not thought t worth while to take up arms in the aterests of your fellow townsmen, It ippears to me that the budding legislators in the Council hare lost what little sense they ever possessed, and have gone in for "panic legislation." A "reign of terror " is a mere trifle to the reign of the present Feilding Borough Councillors with their £5 fine for this, that, and the Dther. Let us take a few instances of these wise bye-iaws. Take the "Cam* era' Bye-law." A settler some ten miles up country finds it necessary to move into town or leave the district by rail. Not having conveniences of his own for * carting Jus furniture, &c, he hires a neighbor to do it for him ; but by these bye-laws such neighbor becomes a " car* rier," and must take oat a license for both himself and his dray, Lave his name, Ac, pamtrd on it in a certain place and in a certain way (clause 9), although he may very possibly not get another carting job dunnp the year, the license fees costing more than the entire value of the work. Then as to " public stands." Does anyone m his proper senses suppose such are wanted in Feilding? Do carriers stand about waiting for hire? I hare only a«en them at the railway station, and I question whether that is under the control of the Borough I certainly hare never seen them sufficiently numerous to require a law—" to take the stand in order." JNW for the "Carriage Byelaw." Is the Town Clerk properly qualified to judge of a driver's " proper skill : and fitness " (clause 13) P How is he to iudge ? Will public, or private examinations of drivers take place? Will examinations be oral, written* or practical ? I presume tests something in this style will be imposed: "What course will you pursue if your offwheeler 'winks his other eye'?" "Will he hold public examinations, say on the race course on race days; or will he get free drives . round the country to enable him to form an opinion, and hare hit hair turned grey by the drivers showing how close they can shave various obstacles by the way- ' side without actually colliding? A owns a trap, B hires it to take his family for a drive some half-holiday. The Irap, therefore, becomes a "licensed carriage," and A an •• owner," and a carriage license has to be paid for, and poor B must either take out a license (undergoing the necessary examination by the Town Clerk as to his " proper skill and fitness ") to enable him to drive, or else go to the extra expense and discomfort of a licensed driver. Should they not reach home before sunset they must carry lightsthree of them— including "one proper light inside," Would some very wise city father kindly explain the use of that inside light in an open trap. Possibly, the very wise city father may tell us that it only applies to closed carnages. But : the bye law doesn't say so; it tells us there is a penalty of £5 in case of failure. I suppose it is to enable mama to see that Edward John doesn't try to prevent the hired girl from falling out by placing his arm round her waist ; or, possibly, it may be to enable the city fathers to see who are in each open trap. Again, if poor B does the driving, he, being the driver of a licensed carriage, must not smoke either (clause 30)— under a pen*" alty of £5 in each case. Also, if one of the party, at the country pub, when they stop for refreshments, looks so long on the vine when it is red as to become, intoxicated, he or she has to be left be* hind (clause 31), under penalty of another £5- Then if B drives he must have on a clean shirt, and have no mud on his coat or pants, or he is liable to another £5 (clause 12).— Poor B! Well may the sailors say :. " Lord, what risks these ' landsmen run I" I am, etc., Anti-Humbug.