VANDALISM IN RANGITIKEI

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10107, 15 October 1917, Page 5

VANDALISM IN RANGITIKEI

SETTLERS’ FENCES DESTROYED. (Pub Puebb Abbooution.) MARION, Oct.. 15. Permission hns beau given to publish details of <3llO of the grossest pieces of vandalism over experienced in the Rangitikei district, whereby nearly three miles of fencing was deliberately cut to pieces. Ihe outrage was committed on the night of Saturday, September 29, the main one affected being David Robb, whoso sevenwire fence was out no fewer than 340 times. There were- something like 2580 cuts in wires over a length of between two and n-half and three miles. Most of tins boundary fence followed the Rangitikei River Cliff line, and in places whole sections had boon cut out between the posts und rolled up with the stabs and thrown over the cliff. On another half-mile the wires were cut at every post. Then many of them were chopped into small Considering the. price of labour ami material, Robb’s loss is estimated at between £250 and £SOO. In addition to the boundaries, the marauder also cut a _ few gaps in every one of Robb’s subdivision fences, so that bis farm was left as practically one Inigo paddock. A neighbour, Air McKay Turnbull, also suffered loss, which, though severe enough, was light,'in comparison with Robb’s. His ridge fence was cut twenty times; that is, ten gaps were cut out, after which the staples were drawn from centre posts and the cut portion of the fence allowed to fall. Two gaps were also cut in the boundary between the farms of Robb and McKay Turnbull. In addition to the destruction of the fences, poisoned meat was laid along the whole of the affected lines. The perpetrator left no clue.