WANDERING CATTLE. HEAVIER FINES WANTED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 5, 6 July 1910, Page 10

WANDERING CATTLE. HEAVIER FINES WANTED.

"Mr. J. J. Devine (Wellington) moved at the Municipal Conference yesterday afternoon the following remit : — That in view of the nominal fines usually inflicted for allowing cattle to wander on the roads entirely failing to deter offenders, Section 17 of "The Impounding Act, 1908," be amended in so far as it affects boroughs, enabling severe fines to be inflicted.— (Miramar.) The mover stated that the fines by Magistrates were so small as to be in most cases almost nominal, whereas cattle might have done many pounds' worth of damage in their wanderings. He knew of one person against whom there had been 20 convictions, but the fines for the whole lot of offences v/ere under £5 in all. Mr. C. I. Dasent (Karori) 'facetiously observed that the way of Magistrates seemed to be— los and costs for the first onence ; 5s and costs for the second ; and for the rest a caution. (Laughter.) The president (Mr. T. M. Wilford) could see no use in the resolution. If the maximum were raised to £100, it would make no difference. It all depended on the mental calibre and temperament of the Magistrate. He knew, personally, one man who made a hobby of collecting receipts for fines for cattle wandering. (Laughter). After all, it was a matter for the particular districts to make representations to the Justice Department. If a man could be fined £2 and costs, it seemed a sufficient penalty. The motion was rejected.