MET MAN MILKING HIS COW ON ROAD

Northern Advocate, 12 June 1937, Page 15

MET MAN MILKING HIS COW ON ROAD

-CR. ELLIOTT

The directorate of the Hikurangi Co-op.. Dairy Company, Ltd., wrote to the Whangarei County Council yesterday drawing attention to a resolution recently passed by the council, protesting to the Minister of Transport concerning the driving of stock along county roads.

Although it could have no objection to the council’s attiude where farmers’ dairy stock was left to wander along the highways without supervision, the directorate felt, however, that it would not bo in the interest of many suppliers of the company if regulations were brought down 1 o prevent farmers driving stock along county roads.

In many instances, it was not possible to transfer stock from one end. of the farmer’s property to the other, and consequently, the road passing his property had, of necessity, to be used. Clerk’s Reply. Mr H. C. Hemphill, county clerk, replied in the following terms: “Council’s concern is chiefly in cases where farmers turn their dairy cows out of the milking shed after each milking to wander, often unattended, along the public road to some other part of the farm, and where settlers use the road unreasonably' in preference to making use of their own, paddocks.

“Obviously, where a farmer is obliged to cross the road with his herd, or where it is essential that he should use the road in paddocking his cows, there is no suggestion of interference, provided the stock is not allowed to wander or become unreasonably a nuisance to' any other class of <road users. “There is an obligation placed upon the council to see that the roads under its control are not abused or unduly damaged, and that traffic thereon is reasonably controlled in the general interests of the travelling public.” Legitimate Use. The chairman and councillors agreed that the intention of the council was expressed exactly in • the clerk’s letter, which was approved. Mr J. A. S. MacKav had never been any suggestion of curtailing the ratepayers in the legitimate use of their roads, although that impression, unfortunately, had got abroad. Cr. F. Elliott said that the case the council wanted to control was that of the man who allowed his stock to wander at will. “When I was on my way to attend the last meeting of the council,” he said, “one man was milking his cow on the road and had to move to one side to let me pass.” ■ i “Quite a few farmers are under the impression that we intended to forbid altogether the driving Or moving of dairy stock from one' paddock to another,” said Cr. Clarke.