THE Marlborough Express. SATURDAY, AUG. 17, 1878.

Marlborough Express, Volume XIII, Issue 1052, 17 August 1878, Page 5

THE Marlborough Express. SATURDAY, AUG. 17, 1878.

The Fencing Bill proves to be of the same character as the proposed Scab Act, being both general m its character and stringent m its provisions, giving the wealthy owner of rough and almost valueless country power to compel his poorer neigbours to fence land whose fee-simple is scarcely equivalent to the cost of Fencing. We admit the justness of exterminating Scab, and this makes the Fencing almost a first step, but we object to the comparatively poorer runholdera being ruined by the hasty introduction . of a law, no matter how necessary or useful it may prove m the end. Large runholders can alwayß from their own point of view obtain a natural boundary or a better line for fencing, by being allowed or becoming able m some shape to absorb the smaller runs around them. This is a very old course. of procedure and we have no wish to see such laws enacted as will permit or render this possible, by giving them power to harass their poorer neighbors. If this is kept m view, by giving all plenty of time first to fence and afterwards to clean, we imagine both Acts could be worked to bring about much desired results. We cannot deny that Scab ought to be eradicated, but such is the magnitude of the evil and. the almost unsurmountable difficulties which exist m the roughness of surface and inaccessibility of portions of the mountain country' in Marlborough and Nelson that the work will be almost impossible of attainment. To do it thoroughly ©very run ought to be fenced and every sheep sold or destroyed. It would take two or three. years at least before all the stragglers could be collected. It might be suggested to fence off portions of the runs' and thus keep the cleansed flocks apart from the stragglers, but experience teaches that single fencing is not a protection, as stragglers run up to the fences and thus infect the clean sheep ; neither will shepherding meet the difficulty, as they mingle with the flocks before it can be prevented. Nothing but clearing the sheep completely off, or fencing the boundaries and paddocks with double lines of wires, can possibly do it effectually, and unless it is so done, the runholder is always at the mercy of his neighbor or the Inspectors. The question then is a serious and complicated one, involving grave interests, and possibly m the future, considerations of State policy. We were surprised a few days ago to observe the very narrow view of this subject taken by the Nelson Colonist, which is published m a locality largely interested, and where the difficulties fcof the question must be well understood. The following extracts will show the view our contemporary takes and the premises from which he draws his conclusions : — "As more competitors came forward, and extensive purchases of land were made, necessarily requiring additional profits to. furnish

interest on capital, many of the shrewd men, who had taken to this occupation, saw the immense advantage, not only of cleaning their own sheep, but of securing the passing of such laws as would protect them from the almost criminal indolence of neighbors, who would neither spend labor nor money m suppressing a highly infectious disease. Hence came the various Provincial Acts for the prevention of scab m sheep ; the contradictions m their provisions springing rather from the special interests of the leading men m each Council than from any extraordinary difference m the conditions throughout the Colony. It was long contended, for instance, that many runs m Nelson and Marlborough could never be cleaned, the result being that m these districts few cared to incur a large expense that the next runholder might render useless. Sometimes it was questioned whether, presuming the impossibility to exist, it would not be for the general good to prohibit the keeping of sheep m such places, and this suggestion perhaps did no little to aid the arguments of the more intelligent and secure the passing of tolerably effective measures."

" Such are the main proposals of the new Bill and considering the importance of stamping out diseases calculated to seriously diminish the returns from our leading industry, they cannot be said to be too severe. The rational, intelligent, and industrious owner of sheep will -not complain, and if his opposites do so, they are not worthy of notice. Possibly the result may be to indirectly compel fencing, though if that is so there is good reason to be satisfied. Wandering sheep do good to no one, except the scoundrels who, trading on a handful, habitually rob their neighbors of both wool and increase."

— We draw attention to these contemplated enactments so that those directly interested may not be taken unawares, and that by communicating with the Government or the House, sufficient time may be obtained to carry out provisions which, if forced on hurriedly would have a most injurious effect on many of our settlers. We feel certain that however anxious the House may be to eradicate Scab, there is no desire to ruin runholders m mountainous districts by suddenly calling on them to fence their land and cleanse their sheep under all but impossible conditions, thereby forcing them to relinquish their runs for the benefit of more wealthy men.

The Mayor of Picfcon has raised a new Representation scheme, the detailed account of which is too lengthy for onr space, especially under the circumstances. As we stated m last issue, an Indignation meeting was held there last Friday evening, when as we are informed about twenty persons were present. His Worship took the chair, and expressed his opinion about the necessity for the Railway being extended to Atn-berley-^may his head never grow grey till it does. He demanded to know wlien the Government meant to go on with this desirable work ? He also alluded to some rumors that Government did not intend to rebuild their Court-house and that the Clerk to the Bench was to be removed. He also pointed out the necessity for re-building a new Post Office and Telegraph Station, showing the danger of the present buildings, on the edge of the water, being destroyed by fire, and concluded by saying that "the people should agitate for their rights, as they were a peaceful tax-paying community, and it was very hard they should be left out m the cold as at present.'' The other speakers included Mr Welford, who moved because he had heard "'that Government intended to remove the Clerk of the Court, and have the business transacted at some other place ;" Mr Jamison agent to the Bank of New Zealand, who boxed the sitting member thus — "It had not been noticed that Captain Kenny had made any move and he should De reminded that the people were interested m the place, so that he might be iorluenced to make a stir also ; and if the present time was allowed to pass by the people might repent !" and Mr John Godfrey, who made the most sensible remarks of any. Acting on Mr Jamison's advice a committee of seven persons were appointed "to watch over the general interests of the place •" to look after tho "members," [We hope they will not interfere with the member for Wairau, or they may hear something more about it.] and to take any other steps they may deem advisable to promote the interests of the people. The following gentlemen were then "elected," but we hasten to add that as some of them at least were not present, they cannot yet be held responsible for the vagaries of this meeting : — Messrs Williams (Mayor), Jamieson, Welford, Galloway, Greenßill, Lambert and- Dart. To their credit be it said Messrs Thompson, Syms, Smith and Godfrey declined to be nominated. The rights and privileges of the remainder of Captain Kenny's constituents were not even thought of.