BOROUGH RANGER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2623, 23 August 1923, Page 3

BOROUGH RANGER.

REPLIES TO COMPLAINTS. At tlie last ordinary meeting of the Borough Council the ranger was asked by resolution to apologise for language used to a Councillor whose stock he had impounded, and to explain why he had failed to impound a cow wandering in Union Street. At Tuesday night’s special meeting of the Council the following letter was read from the ranger : “In reply to your letter of the 15th inst. The complaint re wandering cow in Union Street. The cow walked up to the trough, had a drink, and walked up Futter Street. The boy who was minding it was sitting on the edge of the footpath until the cow had taken its drink and turned the comer, when he got up and followed it. Skeet Bryant, who passed along on his meat cart, may or may not have seen the boy sitting by the roadside, but as I was attending to the street lamp at the corner I saw him. The cow was not grazing on the roadway, it was apparently being slowly driven somewhere, so slowly I will admit as just to escape a prosecution for grazing. Regarding the other complaint, the Council has seen fit to accept the version related by Cr. Bryant behind my back without hearing my side of the case, but the Magistrate did not accept it when he fined him £2 and costs, which fine has since been paid into the Council’s funds. However, as the Council has instructed me to do so, the language used to him under extreme provocation, and after continual persecution, is withdrawn. Will you please see that a motion is placed on the books each time the Council desires me to proceed against this Councillor for allowing stock to wander, or to be grazed on the roadside, as after what has happened I do not feel secui’e in proceeding against this gentleman, who is allowed to interfere with an employee, and to shelter himself behind his office of councillor, and to cause me to be humiliated at his pleasure. Cr. Bryant has no authority whatever to graze his cows on the railway land, and the quicker the public know it the bettei. Cr. Bryant said he was not satisfied with the Union Street incident. The Mayor said the ranger had withdrawn the language used against a Councillor, and the letter should be received. Cr. Smith said that it was not necessary for the Council to pass a resolution instructing the ranger how to act in certain eases. He should carry out his duty without respect to persons. Cr. Bryant added that- he would do that alright. The subject was then dropped.