COUNTY BY-LAWS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 211, 10 July 1914, Page 3

COUNTY BY-LAWS.

Criticised By Mauku

Farmers

At tlio meeting of the Mauku branch of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union on Monday night the question of the Franklin County Council bylaws was introduced by Mr \V. C. E. Cantolin, and various clauses were severely criticised. If these by-laws are enforced, said Mr Canteliu, a farmer is debarred from taking bis milk to the factory, nor would be bo allowed fo do his own cartage. "I am right in favor of wide tyros," remarked the sneaker, " but in Clauses 50 and 58 there appear some absurd conditions." Why the number of horses should be stipulated he was at a loss to understand. lie maintained that less damage was done to the roads with live horses that were able to pull a load easily, than with two struggling along and tearing and ripping metal out. For using an extra horse the poor farmer was penalised. Fancy a traction engine proprietor not being allowed to shift his engine after 5 o'clock, for that is what Clause 111 enforced. It was not the engine proprietors who would suffer but the farmer who would be charged more on account of the machines not being able to work full time. It was evident that these by-laws could never have been discussed by the councillors, and from the reports in the Times it appeared the councillors knew very little about them. It was very evident the by-laws had not been framed in the farmers' interests. Where they were got from was a mystery, and Mr Cantelin considered some had beeu framed about the time of Queen Bess. Another matter that Mr Cantelin touched upon was carting metal over six miles of road iu mid-winter to repair two miles, when there weie tens of metal in tho district.

Mr Hay thought in fairness to the engineer a little more time should be given him, for ho had not yet had an opportunity to get all tho woiks well iu hand. He believed the reason that the metal was got out of tho district was becauso it was cheaper, but he did not consider that the imported stone was anything like as good. Othor members considered it was not cheaper to cut up miles of road, and practically ruin it, for the sake of the small saving iu cost of material.

Mr W. Finlay euid it was evident that tho by-laws had been drawn up in a very crude manner, and he thought all branches in tho county should be circularised to carefully go through them. Delegates should bo appointed to meet and thoroughly investigate the by-laws. Mr Schmitt said that from what he had heard these by-laws were not framed in the interests of farmers, and he would have much pleasure, if the branch so desired, in biinging up the questioa before the Executive.

The following resolution was then proposed by Mr Pleydell, and seconded by Mr E C. Cuff, and carried unanimously :—" That tho committee be requested to immediatly study the question of by-laws as proposed by the Franklin County Council, and that recommendations lie sent to other branches in the county to cooperate with Mauku, and, further, that a copy of the by-laws be sent to tho Provincial Executive for their perusal. Mr W. C. E. Cantelin's name to be coupled with the committee for the conference."