IMPOUNDING BILL.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 804, 11 August 1877, Page 2

IMPOUNDING BILL.

Thb synopsis of the Impoundiug Bill, read a second titu-j m tue Hou^e 01 Ha,>reaentatives oa tbe 3?1 ina.&:\i t» Iritn che " tferald." ] v tha Imjjimudi.j^ £ul it is provided that atr»y tu el ua*ciu m*y oe taken to the nearesc t ouud, without limitiog the distance to be tr*veiie>i. In ttae Auckland Impoundiug Aootae distance thit cattle ouuld ba taken to a uound is 10, miles ; but under lie proposed AcV as la p<s/r nuie is nbow^.a for driving the cattle to the pound, beuidea trespass charges and otuer ex,tm»esv owners of vagrant cattle may soon ficd it more profitable to grow tjraaa for their cattle than to send them out .as 'm now dona to steal' whatever they can. The soale of fee allowed for trespass is also higher than those formerly charged m Auokland. A hone, mare, ox, bull, cow, &c , trespassing on forest pasture or other unenclosed land may be charged 3d each, and Is, per day so long as the animal remains m the pound. If &uch animals are found trespausiog on enclosed paddock 4 fto., Is per head, .while 2s 6d par head is charged if the trespass is committed m a garden. Sheep, ratus, &c, are charged for trespass m nnenolosed forest, pasture or other lqnd, Id per head; 31 per head if trespassing on enclosed land : and 6d per head it m a gar* deo, Goals, pigs, and geese may be charged la each if found trespastiing on euolosed, land, 3s each if trespassing on enclosed paddocks, and 5s each if found m a garden or public cemeteries. These apparently high charges to be made for goats trespassing are very reasonable, for the destruction these animals canse m a short time is wonderful. Croats have also the habit of leaping, and pigs of tearing np almost all kinds of ordinary fences, which makes it necessary that their trespass should be visited by more than ordinarily heavy penalties, soj as to prevent the destruction they cause when at large- Should the bill become law, it is probable that these high fees will have the effect of clearing towriuhipßf at last of these mis'chievoua animals.' J ' ' ■ - To abate the nuisance of entire animals being permitted to' stray at lar^e, permission is given to charge, m addition to the ordinary trespass fees, a sum of £10 for each such animal which may be found trespassing. This is a heavy fine, but it is only sharp remedies which wtfl effeota- , ally cnre the evil here referred to. Pound-keepers have to provide security before they can obtain appointment as pound-keeper. Under present legislation* pound-keepers and others are frequently oauaed a good deal of anoyanoe by people endeavouring to rescue cattle which may be on their way to the pound.. If an attempt be made to rescue cattle, when the new measure is m operation, aay person so interfering will be. come liable to. a fine of £50, or m default of payment, imprisonment for six months. The same penalty awaits those who injure or deatroy any pound, or lock or bolt belonging thereto; and he whowillfully leaves open any gate, slip pane i or makes ft gap m »»y fejjoe for the pujv

poae of permitting or causing any cattl to trespass, or otherwise willfully causiu any cattle to trespass subjects himself t a like penalty, Power is given to * farhier to impound upon hia o» ground cattle found trespa*sm upon bia farm, and to demand from th owner of the tresppasing cattle damage for such tiespass : but the period durin which he can co detain the trespass^ cattle is limited to three days. If th cattle are not claimed by their <>pcr ■ i that time they must be taken to tb nearest pound. . . . . . This bill, like all other pieces of patch work, contains parts which are not 11 harmony with each otber. The tentl olauae provideß as already stated, penalty of £10 m addition to the ran . ohargedfor ordinary trespass when th trespassing animal is an «*«£•"»« the 45th olauae a penalty of £20 s pro % videdfor the Bame offence. It-w ato provided that double the penalty charge able for entire animals trespassing shal be levied upon trespassing # 'rigs, ljj occupier of fenced land adjoining a pttbh Wean impound any cattle m without wntrol upon such road. Inw a very useful provision, and if fully givei effect to, will help to keep some of ou suburban land and other roads cleat o vagrant cattle, a consummation devout^ to B be Wished for. All the fee sieviabl. under this Act are to be paid to the low authority within whose district tbi pound is erected.