A STRAYING BULL

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 15 February 1930, Page 9

A STRAYING BULL

CHARGE AGAINST RAHOTU . FARMER/ WHAT IS PROPER; CONTROL? A ease o'f considerable interest to farmers was heard in tlhe Opunake Court yesterday before Mr R. W. Tate, S.M., iwhen W. R. Wright was charged with allowing a Friesian bull to wander on the South Road, near Ra'hotu, on November 28j The question of what constituted the proper control of a bull on a public road was raised, and the magistrate s'aid the points mentionedl were important enough to warrant a written judgment. Ho therefor© reserved his decision.

Defendant wa's represented by Mr P. Q’Dca, who pleaded not guiity, and the county ranger, who laid the information', by Mr A. A. Bennett,

The ranger gave evidence as to seeing the bull on. the road when he was travelling by bus ’and that he had taken charge of the animal until Mr Wright Had taken it away, ;as well as another bull which Was brought along by a. Maori naiued Kupe shortly afterwards.

Ini his evidence witness denied that he favoured any settlers cn the Kuhn: Road and stated that, but for the, telephone, he would! catch m'a'ny other offenders.

Mr O’Dea submitted it Was not possible to convict in this ease. He explained* that Kupe, halving bought a bull from Wright, had' asked him if he ; could take two other bulls along the I road to help in driving his purchase , home. Wright had' a. bull belonging to | Green'may and he said thlat Kupe could i take this and another. A young bull in the trio got ahead, and it was this one that Wright had taken in charge, Kupe being behind with the others' Wright, it was contended, had no guilty knowledge, and was, under the circumstance's, not responsible for the bull Wandering. (He pointed out that Wright had no part in the offence. Kupe was neither the agent nor the employee of Wright, and therefore Wright could not be held responsible. It was absurd for (Mr Bennett to suggest that everv bull taken along the road should !be tether,cd> or haltered. 'Cows with a bull in the lead were frequentlv driven on the roads in Taranaki.

The magistrate took action as stated