LICENSE FEE ON ALL WORKING DOGS: COOK COUNTY POLICY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22822, 17 December 1948, Page 3

LICENSE FEE ON ALL WORKING DOGS: COOK COUNTY POLICY

A section of the Statutes Amendment Act, 1943, which gives local authorities more authority in connection with the licensing of working dogs, occasioned a short and 'breezy discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Cook County Council. The county Clerk, Mr. R- K. Gardiner, stated that the council had previously allowed three working dogs to be registered at a reduced fee of 2/6 per dog, but trouble ahd been experience in applying this rule. It was difficult to keep track of the number of dogs under control of individual owners. The acting-chairman, Mr. R. C. Murphy, stated that it had been the practice to register three dogs and ignore the rest. Mr. R. Graham: Speak for yourself, Mr. Chairman!

. Mr. Murphy: I am! (Laughter). When Mr. Graham urged that all dogs classified as workers should be registered at the half-crown fee, Mr. F. S. Bowen asked if any limit was in mind. He thought that there were many dogs in his neighbourhood that should be registered.

“With a gun?” queried Mr. Murphy having in mind Mr. Bowen’s recenl losses through sheep-worrying.

When it was suggested that some owners would register a dozen dogs. Mr. J. Eivers held that if any man kept a dozen dogs they could .not possibly all be workers. A farmer could not work a dozen dogs, in nis opinion.

Mr. Graham said that no-one was likely to pay a registration fee on a dog he could not find work for.

The council finally agreed that all working dogs should receive registration at the reduced fee.