FIRES NEAR RAILWAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 255, 25 September 1935, Page 5

FIRES NEAR RAILWAY

FARMERS’ UNION SUGGESTION. At a meeting of the Wellington provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at Marton, yesterday, a letter was received from the General Manager of Railways in regard to the matter of damage to fences by fires caused through scrub burning near the permanent way. The letter said the department accepted no responsibility for such damage and that the onus was on the property owner to see that iVi fences were maintained in good order. The department, however, w r as always prepared to meet the property owner half-way and to assist in the proper upkeep of the fences. The opinion w r as expressed by Mr A. Howard that a legal opinion should be secured. The chairman (Mr L. Hammond) remarked that one method of solving the problem would be for land owners to seek permission of the department to move their boundary fences closer to the railway line. That would take in idle land which was at present harbouring noxious weeds, bracken, and gorse. For the right to move the fence and use the land the farmer should be required to keep the gorse, etc., down. The speaker understood that the Railway Department was ready to consider such a proposal and would no doubt agree where the circumstances permitted such a step. It was decided to write asking for confirmation of the suggestion of the president, and also to inquire if a legal opinion had been obtained regarding the liability’ of the department for damage done to fences through fires.