BIRTH OF THE BY-LAW

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 94, 7 May 1937, Page 36 (Supplement)

BIRTH OF THE BY-LAW

A ' ' K eep-to-the-Lef t" Rule for Horses and Carts THE FIRST ISSUE IN 1884

The by-laws and regulations by which the early community of Hastings began to organise its civie life form an interesting picture of conditions as they were 53 years ago. The proposed bylaws were first published over the signature of Captain (later Sir) W. R. Russell, first chairman of the Town Board, in May of 1884. Simple, they were, and straightforward. Growing requirements and changed conditions have expanded the scope of the borough by-laws and regulations. since then until now the community )ife of the borough is safeguarded by Voluminous and allembracing rulee and regulations. Interesting among the early by-laws, though, is the traffic rule which even in these days eurvives to enjoin motorists to keep to the left, "Any persdn driving any . vehicle whatsoever, or riding any animal" — just In case you took a fancy to ride a bullrick, perhaps — "and, when meeting any other vehicle or animal, not keeping to the left or near side of the street, or, when passing any other vehicle or animal going in the same direction, not going or passing, or not allowing any person so to do to pass, when practicable, on the right or off side of such other vehicle or animal," was deemed by the by-law to have committed an offence. Negligent driving of a different sortfrom nowadaye was frowned upon even in those days. The board made it an offence "furiously or negligently to ride or drive through any public place, street, or thoroughfare. " You were not allowed then to kill a beast upon a public highway within the borough. Nor eould you ride a horse or drive a carriage upon a footpath. Most of the first by-laws are now outdated and outmoded, but many of thein, framcd for horses and carts, survive to direct motor traffic. We republish an advertisement -of 1884 which announced the by-lawe: — HASTINGS TOWN DISTRICT NOTICE is hereby given that the following proposed by-laws will be submitted for the consideration of the Hastings Town District Board at a special meeting to be held in the office of the Board. to-morrow (Tuesday). By Order, John Collinge, Clert. « May 17, 1884. BY-LAWS. Hastings Town District 1. The board may make sueli provision as it shall think fit for the periodical removal from every dwellinghouse or other tenement, as aforesaid, within the district, at the expense of the owner or occupier thereof, of any uightsoil, dung, ashes, slops, filth, rcfusc or rubbish of any kind. 2. Any person guilty of any of the following offences, omissions, or neglects, within the district, shall, on being convieted of any such offence, neglect or omission, be liable to pay any penalty not exceeding £5 (five pounds) : Throwing or sweeping any glass, filth, dirt, rubbish, orange-peel, or any other matter of a simila.r nature, upon or into any street, channel, footway, court, alley or public place whatsoever. Leading or riding any; horee or other

animalj or drawing, wheeling, or driving any cart, carriage, sledge, truek, barrow, or other thing, npon or along any footpath, unless permitted by the board to do so. Burning any shavings, straw, or any other materials, upon any footway, ehannel, surface drain, or carriage road wifhout such permission aforesaid. Drawing or • trailing any sledge, timber, or other material upon any footway or carriage road. . Allowing uightsoil or other offensive matter to be spilf ox ptEerwise cast on to or upon any road, street, footway, public place, or thoroughfare. Leaving any inflammable materials or matter in any public street or place, or on any open space near any building, witliout such permission as aforesaid. Opening ' any drain or sewer, or removing the surface of any footway or carriage road, witho.ut authority to do 60. . . Noglecting to clean any private yard, way, passage, avenue, watercloset, privy, or drain, or chimney, when ordered to do so, by which neglect a r.uisance by smell or otherwise, is caused. . Furiously . or negligently riding or driving through any public place, street, or thoroughfare. Making any door, cellar, or other opening from the footway of any street or public thoroughfare, without the consent cr not in accordance with the directions of fhe Commissioners. Any person placing any obstruction upon any street or footway whereby life and limb is likely to be endangered. Any person driving any vehicle whatsoever, or riding any animal, and when meeting any other vehicle or animal, not keeping on the left or near side of the street, or when passing any other vehicle or animal going in the oame direction, not going or passing. or not allowing any person desirous so to do to pass, when practicable, on the right or off side of such other vehicle or animal. Any driver of any horse or vehicle injuring any person or property what-

soever by negligence, or by driving on th8 wrong side of the road, or by being away from his horse or cattle so as to be unable to have full control over them. Any person turning loose any horse Or cattle upon any public street or allowing any animal or animals to vvander on any public street or thoroughfare within the district. Any person leaving upon any public street or thoroughfare any plough, Karrow, cart or other vehicle, without any horse harnessed thereto, nnless in consequence of pome accident having happened thereto. Any person slaughtering or skinning any beast npon any public street or thoroughfare, or permitting any slaughtered beast or skin to remain there, or leaving any dead beast upon such street or thoroughfare. Any person having any iron, timber, or boards laid aeross any vehicle going along any street or thoroughfare, so that either end should project more than two feet beyond the wheels or sides of such vehicle. Any person destroying, damaging, polluting, or obstrueting any aqueduet, dam, sluice, pipe, pump, watexcourse, or fountain. Any person suffering or allowing any waste, or impure water, or other matter, to remain in any cellar or place, within any building or preniises.in the district, or allowing any waste or impure water or other matter to run or flow from any such building or premises, upon or

over, or" be on any carriage xoad o* footpath, or, any other place, whether public or private, within the district, o* shall allow- the contents- of .any watercloset, privy or ceespool to overflow, or to soak therefrom,.so as to.be offenlrive, There follow regulations covering building — from which we learn that any person building a verandah withoiit the authority of the board chairman was liable to have the building torn down at his own cost — and the issue of licences to hawkers. And finally, to ensure the comfort of people living within the borough, it was provided that "It ehall not be- lawful to keep an^- swine within the limits of two (2) chains of a public highway og dwelling-house." .. The adyertisement is sign^d: W. R* Russell, chairman. Captain ^jissell wrag knighted shortly after the' tu'rn of the century. " .» * _• - An interesting addition to the By-» laws,^ the forerunner '' of motor-speed restrictions, 'came into being at the meeting of the "Borough Coiihcil (as it had then become) in Febrnary of 1888^ It read: "That it be publicly notifie'd that any person or persons found driving nnled horses^ through the public streets at - other than a walking pace vrill l|e proseeuted. ' ' . At that date the Town Clerk (then Mr J. Collinge) was given authority tj» prepare informations and conduct prosecutions for breaches of the bylaws.