SHEEP-WORRYING IN H.B.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 64, 8 December 1937, Page 8

SHEEP-WORRYING IN H.B.

Our Own Correspondent.)

Farmers' Union Suggests Increased Dog-tax

(From

WAIPUKURAU, Last Night, A desire to eliminate useless doge whieh were said to be responsible for a great deal of sheep-worrying in tho Hawke's Bay district, prompted the Tukituki branch of the New Zealan-1 Farmers' Union to. submit a remit to the Hawke's Bay Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union at nts monthly meeting in Waipukurau today, asking that the dog-tax on all dogs other ibaii avorkixig dogs sh-nild be increased. It was decided to ask the county councils, boiougb councils ano town boards in tho Hawke's Bay district to eonsider the advisability of increasing the' rcgistration fee for such dogs. > A farne: nor.r Hif-tings, Mr H. J McKeesicc. lud lost 72 two-tooth ewss t'nrougn shcep-worrying, it was pointed out. If the t:ix wero ircreased, members felt, tho number of pet dogs on stations and others roaming the streets in the towns wculd bo reduced. "Some county councils do not like the idea of imposing a dog-tax at all," said Mr C. li. Edgecombe. "Though the flaw new compeis' tjiein to imposo a tax, they just fix the ..minimum and,', do not worry mtteh about collecting the payments. A. certain amount ,pt damage is done from time to time, but 'even registered dogs will do it." "The dog that has not enough work to do on the farm'is the chief source of the trouble, ' ' said Mr Boyle. The sporting dogs and pets about the town whieh were not kept on chains were the cause of most of the worrying, asserted another member. Sheep-worrying was mostly on properties near the towns; the menace did not occur much in the country. There were a number of useless dogs wandering about the towns. "A year ago I had 12 thxee-months-old lambs worried by mongrel dogs," said Mr 'Boyle. The meeting was presided over by Mr Edgecombe. ^ Consideration was •' given to the Northern Taranaki and Wellington Threshing, Chaff-Cutting and CloverSelling Award, and the secretary, Mr D. Balharry, was instructed to call a meeting in Hastings before Christmas of all members interested in' the dispute. A proposal to kold a meeting early ■ next year at which members of the executive could meet county council representatives to discuss derating, was dropped after some discussion, and lt was decided to ask the head office of 'the union to take the matter up with the Gounties Assoeiation. Advice was received from the Government Tourist Bureau that two part* ies of Australian farmers would be visiting Hawke's Bay early next year. The first party of 20 from South Australia would arrive in Napier on February- 10, and the second, of about 40, on March 24. It is proposed that these parties should be taken to inspect the freezing works at Tomoana and visits made to farms in Hawke's Bay. The. •ejfecutive decided. to defer the makiug of aTrangements until its next. meet-' ingFor the purpose .of. advertising the danger of grass fires as a warning to pienic parties, branches concerned were ' voted a subsidy of 50 per cent. for carrying out their campaign, a maximum of £5 being fixed.