FENCING STOP-BANKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4765, 17 October 1924, Page 2

FENCING STOP-BANKS.

TANDS DEPARTMENT’S VIEWS. CO-OPERATION BY SETTLERS. The following letter has ben received by the Hauraki Plains County Council from the Hon. Minister for Lands: ‘With reference to representations made to me by a deputation from your Council which met me in Wellington recently and brought under my notice the question of fencing stop-banks on drainage areas under the control of this department, I have to state that the matter is one which has caused a good deal of consideration. “There is no doubt whatever but that a great amount of damage has and is being caused to our works by wandering stock, but I have come t > the conclusion that legislation will not entirely overcome the difficulty, and that until settlers realise their obligations to themselves and to their neighbours and act accordingly of their own free will there will always be trouble. It has been suggested that if the farmers’ organisations took up the matter and created the right reeling in the district— bringing the responsibility of the settlens before (hem—the trouble would be largely overcome. “All leases issued contain a fencing clause, under which the lessee 'S compelled to fence drains and stopbanks, and no freehold title is issued until these conditions have been fulfilled. Moreover, the department has appointed several rangers with power to impound wandering stock. “As you are aware, this department is not the permanent controlling authority. It constructs the necessary development works, and when all the works within a self-contained area are completed the settlers themselves then form a local drainage board and take over control of maintenance. The department, therefore, controls the area only during the early stages, when settlers are struggling to make their properties reproductive and when a certain amount of latitude is almost essential to successful settlement.

“Under the circumstances, and as it is not desirable that the Crown should be continually instituting court proceedings, it seems to me that the position cannot be finally satisfactory until local drainage boards have control. However, it is proposed to bring down an amendment to the Hauraki Plains Act giving power to make regulations and impose fines for any damage caused to works hy stock, and it is hoped that this will have the desired effect.”