THE FURZE NUISANCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3085, 23 April 1892, Page 2

THE FURZE NUISANCE.

At almost every mcetiug of the Waipa County Council the question of the obstruction of public roads through the encroachment of furze from the adjoining fences is regularly brought up. This is becoming a very serious matter, both for the various local bodies—whose duty it is to see that tho roads are kept in a fit state for traffic—and also for the unhappy owners of the fnrzs fences, from whence the mischief has arisen. Wo don't know whether tho Waipa County is particularly unfortunate in this respect, but, judging by the number of esses in the Hamilton, Newcastle, and Mangapiko ridings which have been, and are about to be, taken in hand, tho county hai certainly quite its share of the nuisance. Several comp'aintd have lately been made to the council by persons using these roads which are so badly blocked with furze ; and it was very evident, from the tone of the members at the last meeting, that the Waipi County Council, at all events, are determined to make a firm stand in the matter, and, as the custodians of the main highways, enforce tho removal of all obstructions upon them. In this tlie councillors are simply doing their duty and nothing more. Their clear duty is to protect the public, in whose interests the roads are laid off and made, and not to study individuals who may fiiul it a hardship to clear the furze from their frontages. In this connection we must commend the action of Cr. Exelby, who, acting under a sense of duty, ha 3 taken the proper steps to have the roads in his riding cleared of furze. If otlu-r councillors act in a similar manner, we may reasonably expect to have our thoroughfares open for traffic, and not, as at present in many instances, so choked up with furze that the passage of two vehicles abreast would just be a matter of impassibility.