DOG TAX.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 21 February 1907, Page 4

DOG TAX.

To Tlie Editor. Sir,—As this subject is attracting aimention just now . the following ex--1 raet from a Hume paper may nut lie out of place:—'"The new Act which came into operation on Ist J.uiuarv last colliers important powers ou the l 3 olicc. In future uwntrs win have to exere.se muea (greater care in preventing ammaU from si raying Un he streets, under penalty of having the canine seized and detained u.it.i all expenses incurred luivil JkV» paid. This power i{* vcstcjd in the .Police whether the dog is wearing a collar or not, though m the event the owner's address being known lie will receive a notice informing li.in oi t..e arrest, and of the steps he must take to recover the stray." For yea*, past reckless disregard by dog ow.xrs of the law and by the Borough Councillors of the:r duty .to enforce the law have caused great discomfort to resi-

dents and visitors alike here. Until last year New Plymouth rctseininod a native village with its host of yelp ng curs, getting into everybody's w.i,» a;m lighting an 1 worrying one another and making night and day hideous. 1 : ; is true that we had some relief, indirectly given us by the linrongli Council, for .their neglect and indifference iuduced some persons from time to time to take the law into their own hands and poison oil* the superllu'ius dugs, lint the poor animals, were put to a cruel death in most eases, and tin* reformers were not content with hiving poisou in the frequented stieecs (as one could readily have excused t!;ein for doing) but threw the stuff inside gates and fences, and thus punished those who took proper care of their dogs. Last year for the first time a "real live"' collector was appointed, but those who have been in the habit of setting the law at defiance with impunity are exerting themselves by let-

ters to the press and personal appeals to Borough Councilors. Some at any rate of the latter are in business,

and live by "the nimble sixpence," and some of them respond readily to any pressure put on them, and hasten to bolster up the complaints of their

customers. The remedy is to pass an ! Act here like tliat above allude,l to, , . and to make the Police administer it '* without fear or favor. Dogs not to be in any of our public streets iu wiiifli there is much traffic. and in particular country settlers, whose Hellish want of consideration of the surety of their fellow creature* and of their own dogs permit them to bring

the latter into town with them on market days, should be severely punished. Any dog, of whatever age, n:id whether registered or not, found in Devon .Street central or thereabouts butweem !> a.m. ;uid U p.m. ought io be seized an.l his owner summoned and punished by a fine.—l am, etc. A DOG OWNER.