FARMERS AND PIG KEEPING

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 374, 10 May 1918, Page 3

FARMERS AND PIG KEEPING

Police Action Resented That the County hy-laws were being unreasonably enforced, resulting in a persecution of farmers, formed the subject of complaint made to the Franklin County Council yesterday by a deputation from the Executive of the newly formed Franklin sub-P«-ovincial area of the Farmers' Union. Messrs J. Walter Johns and D. R. Hamilton formed the deputation and stated that they bad been instructed to protest against the prosecution of farmers in regard to pig-stys undertaken by the Police Sergeant temporary relieving at Pukekohe. At the Pukekohe Magistrate's Curt the previous week, they explained, one farmer was convicted and fined £2 for failing to clean his pig-sty daily as required by the Couoty by-laws whilst another farmer was to be proceeded against at the Court next Thursday on a similar charge and also for keeping pigs within 100 ft of a public road. Did the Council (they asked) countenance the action taken'by the Police Sergeant? Their contention was that no actual nuisance had arisen in either instance by the failure to clean the stys every day and that, moreover, it was unreason able to expect such to be done when farm work was brisk. If a nuisance did, however, exist they suggested that the persons concerned should have been warned instead of being Mimmarily summoned. Further, it was pointed out, that in regard to the case to come on for hearing next week if pigs could not be kept within 100 feet of a road it meant that as roads ran all round the farmer's property no less than 21 acres of his land would come under tl e prohibition The Chairman (Cr W. C. Motion) informed the deputation that the matter of the prosecutions had been discussed by the Council at their committee meeting the previous day and they desired it to be known that they did not approve of the high handed and drastic action of the Sergeant. The Council had given no authority for tho prosecutions and thty did not approve of fairness being thus harassed The district was a dairying country and pigs had to be kept. The by-laws were adopted when Waiuku and Tuakau formed part of the County and were intended in regard to pig-keeping to safeguaid the interests of the people in such places as the townships men doned where there was a closely settled population and were not meant to be enforced in rural i< eali ies. The Council, ho aided, were not sitting there to persecute farmers by making them pay fines.

A chorus of approval by the other members greeted the Chairtuau's remarks ami Cr Thomas suggested that if the action of the police was persisted in the Council .should rescind the bylaws.

Ultimately, on the motion of Cr Hille, seconded by Cr Woods, a resolution was passed expressing disapproval of the action of the Police "e'g-iant in enforcing the County bylaw-! without a reasonable warning a'd it was decided to forward a copy ■•f the resolu'ion to tho Police "Mipeiinteiident in Auckland together with a iP(|Uost :li;tt the pending prosecution should be withdrawn. If the (••"e is set <!osvn for hearing the Council de-dred that the Magistrate should be informal as to the resolu'ion 'hat had been passed.

F:u in-;rs are invited hj' &dvt. in tiii i is-uh to atteml a meetirg convened by the Piikekohe branch of the Firmer*' Union to bo held in th« M i«>.nic Hill, I'ukckohe, ne\t Wednesd iv evening for th*> purpose of talcing further action in reginl ti> the a'oregning matter. Mr .S. oldheld, the newly-appoin'.ed organising secretary, is to be iire«enr.