LOOSE HORSES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 35, 6 February 1912, Page 5

LOOSE HORSES.

DRIVING THROUGH BOROUGH STREETS. LENIENCY FOR FARMERS. At the special meeting of the Stratford Borough Council last night, a letter was read frfom Sergeant McNeely, with regard to the prevalent practice in the Borough of driving horses loose along the streets. The Sergeant wrote that ho had seen a Ngaire farmer driving three loose horses past the Courthouse~in Broadway. The farmer had said he was unaware that he was breaking the bylaw, and explained that it was impossible for him to lead the horses, as they were unbroken. There was a horse fair at Mr (Newton King’s yards that day, and ho said he was taking the horses there. This explanation was, of course, no concern of his, and he only mentioned it so that the Council might be in possession of the few full facts of the matter. When on his way that morning to lay an information against the farmer, he was informed that there had been some correspondence between the Council and police about this particular by-law, and that the latter had been requested not to enforce this by-law against country people who were bringing young horses to the fairs. He had probably been misinformed as to what actually took place between the Council and police, but would delay laying the information until ho learned their desire in the matter. He mentioned, in conclusion, that he had noticed the Borough ranger had frequently prosecuted townspeople under this bylaw, but he did not know what instructions, if any, had been issued to him. The Mayor said, they remembered the circumstances of the case. A man had driven horses loose through the Borough, and the Council thought some leniency should be shown .

The Town Clerk road a letter which had been written, to the police dosiring them not to take proceedings against persons driving unbroken horses loose to horse fairs, provided they were under proper control and were not driven through the main streots of the borough. Cr. Paget instanced the fact that lie mot in the early morning two men driving loose horses at a gallop down the middle of the road. A Councillor: “That’s what wakes me up in the morning.”

Or. Paget: “Yos, tftey often do!” Continning, Or. Paget said that ho thought the motion on the matter was that the horses slioidd be under the control of two men, one riding in front and one behind, and that if any individual offended, the permission to drive loose horses would be rescinded. These horses wore being driven at a gallop. Certainly it was early in tho morning. “They don’t drive cows at a gallop,” ho added, “and there is no reason why they should drive horses at a gallop.”

The matter was loft in the hands of the Mayor to deal with.