ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 927, 3 April 1868, Page 5

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

«» WE DO NOT IDENTIFY OTTB3ELVES IN ANY WAY WITH THE OPINIONS EXPBESSED BY OtTB COEEESPONDENTB. ♦> — (TO THE EDITOE OF THE WEEKLY TIMES.) Sib, — Eor a considerable time past I have observed in the columns of both local journals frequent letters complaining of annoyance, said to be suffered by the writers, from the tresspasses committed by stray goats, pigs, cows, and horses. 1 1 have also seen occasional paragraphs on the same subject in the editorial columns of both papers — I must admit, however, that your contemporary most frequently alludes to the alleged nuisance, sometimes in a strain of assumed indignation, oftener in a style meant to be facetious. Now, Sir, it has often occurred to me, when reading those fulminations, that far more abuse was heaped upon the heads of the animals in question than they deserved, and that more might be said in their defence than most people dream of, and it is this impression which | induces me now to request you, with your usual impartiality, to give this letter a place in your column. As showing that I am not interested in the protection of one kind of property to the detriment of another, I may premise that I am the owner of both goats and pigs, and also of a garden. I will not make any further comment on the locals I have alluded to, but confine my remarks to those scribblers who avail themselves of open columns to ventilate their grievances. G-enerally those writers insinuate that they have had their gardens destroyed, had their rest disturbed during the night by the noise of horses or bullocks, or been nearly run over or gored, or known somebody or other nearly run over, or gored, in the public streets. . Now, Sir, I am not going to deny that if goats or other animals break into gardens, or f they come tearing and knocking about a house at night and alarm the inmates, there is good grounds for complaint, but so far as my observation goes — and I have been watching the matter closely for a considerable time — I am convinced that the fault most frequently lies entirely with those complaining. There are swarms of animals in my locality, and yet I can't remember a single instance in which I have suffered through their depredations, or been in the least danger from their presence in the streets. Neither can I find that a single individual in the neighborhood, possessed of anything worthy of the name of garden, has ever had it broken into ; nor do I know of an instance of personal danger or injury having been incurred through the animals in question. I have known, however, two or three cases in which loud and continuous complaints have been made by parties who were the pests of their neighborhood, whose gardens — so called — were rather hotbeds of weeds, poluting those adjoining, and whose properties generally were dilapidated and broken down. In fact, I knew of one case wherein the proprietor — save the mark — sat up for several nights, gun in hand, and fired away more powder and shot, and wasted more time than would have sufficed to make his garden proof aganst all the goats in Invercargill. ' Other instances have also come under my observation wherein much ill-feeling has been engendered, and serious loss sustained by quiet people who would rather suffer an injury then risk the chances of law, through the obstinate pervereeness of a pugnacious neighbor, who, under the impression that he had the law on his side would, to show his power and gratify a cruel disposition, rather kill an acquintances animals than drive a nail in a paling, or put a latch to a gate. Again, Sir, look at the vacant ground about town to which animals' have free access, and that from which they are shut out. You will find the one covered with' a closely cropped, beautifully green turf j the other full of rankest weeds, scattering their seed far and near with every wind. Look at the small plot between Dr Deck's and. Miss Bain's in Esk-streefc. Though only a few square yards in extent, there are pestiferous seeds eoough in it

to defile acres. Look at une or two sections, closely fenced but , noccupied, at the top of the same street talso at the top of Don-street, and say wheher we are not somewhat indebted to the goats &c. for keeping down what would otherwise become a most intolerable and expensive nuisance, expensive, because were weeds not destroyed in this way proprietors would have to adopt some other means of keeping them under, as I have known them obliged to do elsewhere. For these reasons I trust the authorities will not exterminate the goats as vermin. There is plenty of room about the town to run a large herd of them, and for the other animals too, without harming any one. — Yours <fee. Aegtjs. Invercargill, 24th March 18U8.