WANDERING STOCK.

Shannon News, 27 June 1924, Page 3

WANDERING STOCK.

METHOD OF COPING WITH TROUBLE.

At the* Bqrough Council meeting on | Tuesday evjenmg Gr. Carter raised the question ot tne Council's .methods ' of dealing with persons who allow stock to wander oh the roads. He stated' that at the Council's -last meeting they hah dealt with a letter from, a person whose horse had heen impounded, auid, alter receiving his* explanation as to ho.vv it got ouit, der cided not to summons him. He contended the council hud no .right-to deal with the case, seeing that they had given the Ranger lull power to act. He said 'there, were quite a lot Of people who had been suimuohed that should not have been and he thought . tiio whole matter ol summonsing was being carried tou l'ar. The Mayor 'explained ».hat the

owner liud written stating the lioivse, a thoroughbred was too valuable to allow to wand'er the roads and it hud got out quite accidentally. The Han-gei-, who was present at the meeting-, said he was of opinion that the lior.se was accidentally let out of it.s paddocli. It was on this explanation that the Council" agreed not to prosecute. Any person nad the right to lorwinid an. explanation for the Council's consideration.

Cr. Carter: If my stock \ gets out .accidentally and the Ranger gets them have 1 got to write, .to the Council if I don't wisli to be prosecuted. The Mayor: You have tlie saane right as any other person.

Gr. Beard: I don't think the Council shouild deal witfih. it. Cr. Carter: I don't believe in a.

man. having .to run to the Council if he wishes to get off. a person not only has to pay the impounding fee hut is prosecuted its well and to mv way of thinking itiie whole business i-s not fair.

Cr. CuiTan did not ;igree- with the issuiing -of summons- being' left in the bands of the. Ranger. Cr. Beard said an Injustice, for a person to have to pay ..'impounding t;oo and then, to be prosecuted after. • . '. .

111 reply" to an. enquiry the: Town Clerk'stated that since hist Court day 2G summonses had been handed' in to him by the Ranger, sight of -which was against one maa v -

Cr. .Carter said tliait Cr. Gardner iiad once suggested that for the first twio offences only the impounding fees be diniined, mid a, fine for the third offence, hvnicih. he considered reasonable. He admitted it was difficult to know wJiftt to'" do with a man ulho persistled in grazing stock on, the road.

The.'Mayor suggested'that first offenders be' let off and that no more .than one summons at a time be is T sited against any one person. Or. Carter: How many councillors v6ted against the party being let off at the last_ Council meeting? Xhe Mayor: The Council were uinanajDiOuis after hearing the explanation, offered.

• Cr. Carter: If'the Ranger has full control, wJi&re it can be shown that the 'animal had not bee.ii turned on the rood, the owner should be let off. " - ' :

Cr. Gunning: it is wot Jiub-

hual and Ccin.be shown.'it Js accidental, owners not be cuted.

The May or said the whole .business seemed, (to him like persecution. It was not fair that an. owner should have about three summonses issued against him for tihe same animal at the one time. < Cr. Carter then moved that the instructions to the Hanger be revised/ in regard to issuing summonses and that all stock found on the roads he impounded and that no'summons issued without reference to the Council.

Cr. Gunning moved as an amendment that all stock found wandering on ifche roads 3>e impounded and -that ino' proceedijngs 'be ifejken against first offenders.

Tile amendment was carried by lour votes to three. Gr. Carter: That is in direct opposition to the Council's .decision at its last meeting. Cr. Curraji: I think the Council made a mistake."