RANGER ON SKYLINE.

Shannon News, 14 June 1927, Page 3

RANGER ON SKYLINE.

HOW THE NEWS TRAVELS.

The wandering stock problem is a constant source of anxiety to the.Horowhenua County Council, but it is not without its humorous aspects. Judging from statements made by councillors at Saturday’s meeting, as to how the news of the ranger’s approach precedes him, it almost seems as though that official should' follow the example of some of the heroes of detective fiction and adopt baffling disguises. One suggestion made half-seriously at the meeting was that he should travel by train to a certain part of the district; but this has obvious limitations where the pursuit of straying stock is concerned.

The discussion arose on the reading of of a letter from Mr E. G. Williams, of Tokomaru, whose complaint was that all owners of straying stock were not treated alike. His cow and calf, he stated, were impounded when they had been on the road not more than an hour, whereas, he alleged, other people could graze their stock on the roads for 24 hours without being troubled. Cr. Whyte said that lately he had had numerous complaints from the same locality, it being stated that certain stock were on the road half the day and half the night. On the date when Mr Williams’s eow was impounded, it appeared, there were other cows grazing with them, but a telephone message came through that 'the ranger was on the way, and so the cows were put in the paddock, but Mr Williams’s cow and calf were left. In the last few days the speaker had received four mesafes by telephone from people complaining that horses were a nuisance on the roads. He thought that the ranger should give more attention Jto that part of the district, especially in the evenings. The Engineer (Mr Anderson) described Mr Williams’B case as one of hard luck.

On the motion of Cr. Catley,-.second-ed by Cr. McLeavey, the letter was received.