Council Decision Irks Farmers

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 14

Council Decision Irks Farmers

A deputation from the Banks Peninsula branch of Federated Fanners yesterday told the Akaroa County Council that the council’s decision to insist on the clearance of bush inside roadside properties would be an unfair burden on a minority of farmers, mainly in the Pigeon Bay area.

The main spokesman (Mr R. K Craw) said his organisation believed the work was the responsibility of the council.

“We are facing great economic strains at the moment and those affected by the council’s decision will resent it,” he said.' The chairman (Mr P. G. de Latour) explained that the council had power under legislation to order the removal of trees and other bush from the boundaries of private property where they impeded progress or vision on the roadway.

“If the avenge farmer spent half an hour a year with a slasher the problem would not arise,” he said. Mr Craw said ft would take more than half an hour to clear one bend on some properties which ran for considerable lengths of road front-

ages. It would take more than a week for some farmers to clear up the bush. Mr de Latour said the council was heavily committed

financially, and any extra work would mean either sacrificing planned programmes on roads or increasing rates. Cr. C. D. Kay said the corners where the bush protruded over the road were dangerous. It would be a

lot cheeper for the fanners to deer them.

Or. V. S. Armstrong said he sympathised with the farmers. “They are pestered with enough inspectors without any more. I think the county has fallen down in clearing these roadsides,” he said. Mr Crew said the farmers were concerned that if the Council could order them to cut down the trees it could also force them to clear out the drains. He claimed that the council had never cleared out drains after cutting down scrub. Or. I. H. Menzies said it boiled down to cost and who was going to pay. If the county did the work it meant an increase in rates. If the ratepayers wanted to bear the cost through the rates, well and good. Cr. Gray said one farmer in Walnut had objected when the council had chopped down trees on his property f rootage. He had wanted to do it himself. Mr Crew: Anything of value on the side of the road always belongs to the council, and as soon as it has no value it belongs to the fanners. Another member of the de-

putatton, Mr A. Reynlsta, said the farmers thought they were paying rates to have the roads maintained. The third member (Mr V. Shadbolt) said the council could be faced with an erosion problem if too many trees were cut down.

Cr. Armstrong asked the deputation for its solution to the problem. Mr Craw said it was not up to the fanners to find a solution.

A suggestion that the farmers without heavy growth on their properties combine with the council to help those who had to clean it up was greeted with laughter.