ALSATIAN DOGS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21972, 22 December 1936, Page 10

ALSATIAN DOGS

HIGHER LICENSE FEES NOT AUTHORISED HEATHCOTE COUNTY COUNCIL'S ERKOR Unless Parliament amends the Dogs Registration Act, 1908, in the coming session-a matter to which it has given attention on many oc-casions-the Heathcote County Council will have no power to enforce the resolution passed at its meeting on Friday fixing the registration fee for Alsatian dogs at £ 1 instead of 10s, as in former years The council has since found that it has no statutory authority to fix a license fee for any dog at more than 10s The county clerk (Mr J. P. E. Veale) explained yesterday that tne council had acted under the impression that amending legislation had been passed during the last session of Parliament. It had since been pointed out, however, that this had not vet become law, although it was expected that it eventually would be approved. The Counties Association had consistently advocated amending legislation to enable prohibitive registration fees to be placed on Alsatian dogs by local bodies The move would have the unanimous support of the counties when next it was before Parliament. The Dogs Registration Act, liJUd, sets out that the fee to be fixed by any local authority for the registration of a dog must be 10s excepc in the cajc of working dogs, for which license fees of not less than Is may be fixed. LICENSE FEE OF £2 PROPOSED ATTITUDE OF WAIMAIRI COUNTY COUNCIL A license fee of £2 per annum for Alsatian dogs was considered by the Waimairi County Council last evening, and the proposal received enthusiastic «uoporl from the councilors, until they were informed by the county clerk that the council had no statutory power to fix a discriminatory fee for Alsatians. . • 1 „ The mutter arose during consideration of the annual dog fees, when Cr. W G Chapman moved a resolution fixing' the fees at 2s Cd for sheep and cattle dogs. 10s for all other dogs except Alsatians, and £2 for Alsatians. Cr. Chapman added that he was taking a leaf from the book of the Heathcote County Council, which had given a Rood, lead by charging a fee of £1 for the registration of Alsatians. The county clerk, Mr G. S. Cowper, '■uid he had examined the position, and found that such a proposal was not statutory. Cr W. P. Spencer: We can pass it, anyway. I second the resolution. Mr "Cowper: Yes, but you cannot charge the fee. Cr C. E. Cross moved that the usual fees of 2s 6d for working dogs and 10s for other dogs should be charged. Cr Spencer: I saw in the newspapers that the Heathcote County Council had fixed the fee for Alsatians at £l. I think it can be done. Alsatians are a danger to life and to slock. The chairman. Cr. G. G. Gardner: This is a gesture. I take it. Cr. Chapman said that if the Heathcote County Council could charge £l, there was no reason why Waimairi should not charge £2. "Let's give it a go, anyway, said Cr. Spencer. ». Mr Cowper said the legislation affecting Alsatian dogs had been considered by the Legislative Council and referred back to the House of Representatives. Since then the bill appeared to have been dropped, as nothing more had been heard of it. Cr. Chapman withdrew his resolution, and Cr. Cross's motion was adopted. "I think the public will understand that we do not like Alsatians," said the chairman, in closing the discussion.