The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1886. UNREGISTERED DOGS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1690, 21 April 1886, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 1886. UNREGISTERED DOGS.

On several occasions recently we have had to record the fact of depredatiens on flocKß by dogs. In such cases it is very dimcul.t,to~ find owners for the animals, which in the majority of instances are without collars. In the case of ordinary flocks, especially about breeding time, serious loss is caused when dogs get among sheep, but when the flocks attacked are valuable purebred animals, the matter becomes very serious. By ine Hawera Star we see that a similar complaint exists there. The local paper says it is a constant complaint with settlera that dogs have been among their flocks. Those who live near the towns suffer most, and in some instances the annual loss is considerable. The worst of it is that there is practically no remedy. He may, aud when he is able probably does, sliobt the offending dogs, but when dogs of sheep-worrying proclivities are, captured or shot, they are as a rule without collar or registration label, aud attempts to find the owners are generally fruitless. Such dogs are promptly disowned, and though the suffering farmer may have a pretty correct idea as to ownership, he possesses no legal proof, and it is useless for him to attempt to recover damages in a court of law. We are quite aware that we are not saying anything very new. This has all been pointed out before, but the 1 evil continues to exist, and no serious effort is made to remedy it. Cannot the local bodies who control the registration of dogs do something in the matter, and I have not the police a duty to perform ? , It soems to us that, the local bodies | ought, even if the cast might be heavy, • to wage a war of extermination against all collarless dogs. The thirteenth section of the Act provides, " Dogs without collars, having the proper registration labels thereon, shallow ima facie be deemed 'to be unregistered, and . . . any person duly authorised by the loc&k authority, may destroy such dogs?' Under this clause, the police and the rangers and others, whose business it is to go about the country, might be authorised to destroy dogs whieh prima facie are unregistered. Ifi.this clause were strictly enforced, there would be fewer stray dogs aoout. Peoplo, who at all prized their animals, would be more careful to see that they bore prima facie evidence of registration, and as for. the "waifs," they would be pretty rapidly ! improved off the face of the earth. We hope the Borough Council, Town Boards, County Council; and other local bodies will give attention to the matter.

The Press Association having copied from a Wellington paper some remarks relative vto Mr Stout and the New Plymouth breakwater, which led people to believe that Mr Stout had gone to New Plymouth for the purpose of considering a proposal which had been made for the Government to take over and finish the New Plymouth breakwater, the Post takes up the matter and explains that nothing could be wider of the mark. It says : — While at New Plymouth Mr Stout had a look round the hospitals and schools — institutions which are under his control, and in which he takes the . greatest interest — and he also inspected the breakwater, as any ordinury visitor would, but his inspection of that huge money-eating structure had no political significance whatever. We did riot notice the inuendo3 when they were uttered, nor should we allude to the subject now but that on reference to sur exchanges we find the statements, purposely intended to create a wrong impression, have been telegraphed to various parts of the colony. They are, however, as we have shown, utterly without foundation.

We once more bespeak a bumper house this evening on the occasion of the miscellaneous concart and dramatic entertainment to be given in the Theatre Royal to provide funds to enable the blind man, C. Wilson, to be sent to England. The poor follow hat for some time past been unable to work, through tho terrible affliction of blindness, and the Chnritablo Aid Comrnitteo of the Borough Council have decided to •ndeavour to get him stnt to England, in hopes that under the skillful treatment which he will receive in an eye hospital, he may recover his eye-sight ; or failing that, bo admitted to some institution for the blind, to enable him to learn a trade. Wo trust that for such a deserving cauic the people of this district will wot "be backward in coin* - ing forward," and. wbjle. wUpeißiufl an l

excellent evening's entertainment, will havo the pleasing consciousness of at the x.imo time assisting a poor afflicted IVllow-creature, whose present . position is a mournful one to contemplate. A most attractive programme has been prepared, and all taking part are well and favourably known to the play-going community. We appeal to the generosity of the public on this special occasion, and trust there will be a full house, so as to provide tho necessary funds for tho deserving object for which the Charitable Aid Committee havo ma^e this appeal to public sympathy.