BILLS BEFORE PARLIAMENT

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 135, 6 July 1880, Page 2

BILLS BEFORE PARLIAMENT

THE NEW IMPOUNDING ACT

Our Parliamentary correspondent writes : << This, Bill originated in the Legislative Council and passed on the 23rd J une, has been transmitted for concurrence of the House of Representatives. It provides that occupiers of laud trespassed on by cattle may impound the same. In the case of fenced land trespass rates or actual damages may he sued for, but not m the case of in?fenced land excepting fees for duvnig and givin" notice of detention. In addition to other rates a sum of £lO damages is fixed for the trespass of entire cattle. Jurisdiction is provided for any two Justices in all matters arising out of the impounding. Occupiers of land rnay recover the followin" fees On unfenccd land, for goats or pi" B Is ; fenced land or meadow of grass or stubble, 3s ; fenced land having growing crops or any fenced cemetery, ss. If any pi"s or goats the property of the. same owner trespass on such land within the space of three months after the first trespass, such occupier may recover in respect of every separate time they shall so trespass, trespass rates at double the above. The occupier of any fenced land in artificial grass or under cultivation may destioy any pigs, goats, or poultry found trespassing upon such land ; and the occupier so destroying the same shall within twentyfour hours send in writing a description of the animals so destroyed, and of the place where destroyed, to the nearest police station, under a penalty not exceeding £lO. Provided that it shall not lie necessary to send such description in the case of wild pigs so destroyed. The occupier of any land trespassed upon by cattle, whose fences may have been broken by such cattle, may, when the amount claimed for the repair of such fence does not exceed forty shillings, demand and charge the same as a trespass rate. The following are specified as poundage fees and trespass charges For every entire horse above the age of nine mouths, 2s Gd ; for every horse, mare, gelding, colt, filly, or foal, Is ; for every mule or ass, Is ; for every Jiull above the age of nine months, 2s Gd ; for every ox, cow, steer, heifer, or calf of the first ten, (id ; Do do the next ten, 4d ; Do do the next thirty, 3d; Do, do all others abo ,T e fifty, 2d ; for every ram above the age of four months, Gd ; for every ewe, wether, or lamb of the first twenty, 2d ; Do do the next thirty, lid : Do do the next fifty, Id; Do do, all others above one hundred, id ; for every goat, Is ; for every boar, sow, or pig, Is. In addition to the above, daily sustenance charges are provided for at the following rates Horses, mares, geldings, &c., 2s Gd ; mule, ass. bull, cow, &c., Is Gd ; pigs, Gd ; goats and sheep, 2d.”

BRANDS AND BRANDING. This is also an Upper House Bill, transmitted the House of Representatives, on 23 rd June. It provides: The Governor may appoint as many lit and proper persons as lie shall think fit to be Registrars of Brands within the colony, and may assign any part of the colony as a district to each such Registrar, anil appoint a place therein at which shali be the registration office for for the district he may also appoint places at which shall he chief registration offices for areas of the colony embracing as many districts as the Governor may prescribe, and may also appoint any Registrar to be in charge of such chief offices respectively, and to discharge the duties of Chief Registrar within any of the aforesaid areas. Every stockowner whose brand shall not have been registered before the commencement of this Act shall deliver to the Registrar of the district wherein his stock are running or are intended to run, for registration by him, a description of the brand which such owner uses or purposes to use in branding bis stock, and shall deposit two correct copies or impressions of his brand with such Registrar ; and every owner neglecting to register his brand shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds. There shall be paid by the owner of every brand to the Registrar who shall register the same a fee of 5s in respect of the registration of mile brand. After any stockowner shall have registered a brand, no other person in the same district shall, without the authority of such stockowner, brand any stock with the same brand, or with any brand bearing the same mark or one so nearly similar as in the opinion of any Registrar to he,not readily distinguishable therefrom, or make or cause to be made any branding-iron..bearing the same or a nearly similar brand as aforesaid ; and any person offending , against this enactment shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding Jiffy pounds. If any person shall brand any stock without the authority of the owner thereof, or shall deface or efface any brand or other distinguishing mark or impression upon any stock without such authority in writing, he shall ha liable to a penalty not exceeding omhundrexl pounds : Provided that, on the hearing of any information for a penalty under this section it shall appear that the defendant or person accused acted under the reasonable belief that he was owner of such stock, such information shall... be • dismissed. The mark or impression of any registered brand upon any stock shall be prhnu facia evidence of the ownership of the said stock by the person in whose name such brand shall be registered in the register of the district. All sheep above- the age, of four months shall be branded-with the registered brand of the owner, which shall be renewed from time to time'so that the same shall be at all times legible ; and.!.ore very sheep not so branded the cwneKthereof shall be liable to a penalty not hxceedihg teh pounds. Nothing in Ibis Act shall be construed to oblige any one to:brand fany liorses or cattle running upon fenced lands.,uM If any person shall wilfully shorten or otherwise mark: the eat: of any cattle, sheep, or horse belonging to any other person. ■ he-shall, be'liable to: a penalty of;not more than <tiie«f7/;pounds-for each head of cattle and Joe cach-sheepor-horse iri respect of which, such offence has been cQniimtted*uj mi! iotfi him' / ■■• f ssuod -Jill mod 7.?•»;«{