STOCK-DRYING IN GREEN ISLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15105, 30 March 1911, Page 9

STOCK-DRYING IN GREEN ISLAND.

AN UNPOPULAR BY-LAW,

Considerable dissatisfaction has boon caused among tho numerous steok-owiicrs that frequent tlio Burnsido Saloyards over tho announcement that the G-ruun Island Borough Council intends to enforce a bylaw prohibiting- tho driving of stock within tho borough boundaries batween the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and also requiring stock to bs preceded as well as followed by a driver. It is pointed out that much of the stock is brought to Bunieide from long distances. From East Taieri, for in&tancc,, it takes throe hours to bring stock, from Allanton four liouib, from Otokia six nours, and from Berwick ae much as seven hours, und other 'townships have to bo passed through on tho way. It is contended that it would be extremely difficult for owners in such districts to comply with the rcquireiionts of tho bylaw.

At midday yestwhy a largo gathering was held by tho old refreshment rooms lit tho Burnsido Saleyarda for the purposo of considering tho by-law. The usual sates were suspended for the time being. Mr F. Freeman was voted to tho cnair. Mr Freeman stated that tho meeting had bwn called with tho object of taking exception to the proposed by-law being formed by tho Borough of Green Island. If it became law it ■ would not bo possible to take any stock through the borough between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.. They would not b9 able to take stock to tho abattoirs or tc the ealeyards except outside those hours. Thoro were other provisions saying that one- driver must bo before thi stock and ono behind, and so on. Somo wore under the impression that tho salcyardfi and abattoirs were still within the Tuicri County, but ho wished everyone to know that they were all within the borough now, Mr T. Smith then moved tho following: " That this moetng resolves that tho propotod by-law will bo detrimental to tho interests of all concerned, and -that petitions from tho undersigned parties bo prepared and forwa-nlod to tho Minister of Internal Affairs objecting to tho proposed by-daw:—(l) Master butchers and stock agents, (2) ratepayers within tho Borough of Green Island, and (3) farmers and graziers and others interested." It had been pointed out. out, ho said, that if tho by-law was carried it would bo eom-owhat detrimental to all their interests. Ono of tho absurdities in connection with it was..that if a man was coming down from the north and drove stock into the. borough ho would bo breaking tho by-law. Mr D. Sutherland seconded th-a motion. The law, ho said, hid acted very well in the past, and during ail the years ho had been driving to Buvnside lie imd heard of of no serious damage done to anyone, and ho had never had a mishap with cuttlo on tho road himself. Mr W. Geddes (Mayor of Green Island) said lie would like (o ask the mover of the motion if ho had anything to put in tho plaoo of tho proposed by-law. Other boroughs hod somewhat similar by-laws, and somo had by-laws much more stringent. He considered himself that from 9 o'clock to 3 was a very fair thing. Some years ago the eamo thing had cropped up, and it had been said that the bringing of this by-law into force was vindictive. He wanted to show that it wae nothing of tho kind, Somo five or six years ago, when they enforced tho by-law, they compelled everyone going to and fro (.hroug-n the borough to have a man in front of his stock. They nil knew the history of it. Mr W. Blaekio: Poor okl Blaekio got (inod !— (Laughter.) Mr Geddps and that a deputation had waited on tho Croon Island Council, and it gave way to (he extent of allowing them to get buck from tho saleyards without any man in front. "Voices: No. That's not fo.

Mr Geddes: No. I beg your pardon. Wo allowed them to come- in without a man in front. Tho council gave way, but it knew it was wrong. It w:is a wrong and very risky thing to allow cattle to wander all over the plaoo ns th-cy had liCDn doing. Most, of-them would agree with him that something must bo done. Would they advocate simply going on as they had been doing? Tho traffic had greatly increased during the past, fow yoare, and motor oars were very numerous.

Mr Freeman: Prohibit the motor cars!

Mr Geddas concluded by asking what other remedy thcro was bosides bringing in this by-la;v.

Tho Chairman said that, with regard to other boroughs, he understood that in Aldington, a very much more thicklvpopulatcd district than Green Island, they had no by-laws or restrictions on stock of any description at. all. Looking at it from the point of view of the Green Island Council, Burnside was the main market for the City of Dunedin, and they should not mako any restrictions that, were practically unworkable. _ It mrant that if the by-law was carried it would lx> irksome, and agitation would Iμ made to have tho yards shifted, and with the yards would go all tho industries closff by that were dcpenclont upon thorn. In Milton the.-Borough Council gave a back road that might be used for stock all day, but tho Green Island Council said it had no read for such a purpose.

Mr Walter Blnckio asked if anvthing had happened during the time that tliA bylaw was in ajx>yanen to justifv its enforcement now. It looked, ho said, as if thev wero fixing the hours just, when tlio children worn going to nnd leaving school. Mr W. Geddes replied that thoudi nothing serious had happened, yet it was liable to happen at any time. Lately, for instance, a man went through tlio borough euirjfhaii('.nil with 10 or 15 bulk Wbon

spoken to, ho only resorted to tlio vilest of abuse, using language such as would provoke a broach of tlio peace. He had received a complaint, 100, from a man whoso two little children had iiad to wait in a gateway for half aji hour wliilo etoek was being taken slowly past. People could not get along the road for it. A Voioo: Why don't you summons them?

_ The Chairman suggested that representatives from that mooting might perhaps meat with the Borough Council and come to some amicablo agreement. Mr James GeddJs (a Green Island councillor) said that, 'he Borough Council was quite competent to make bv-laws without any help from outsiders. He went on to complain that the chairman had changed hie mind over tho by-law, but Mr Freeman gave this a direct denial. Impatient voicos called out' "Time! Time [ Business must go on." Tho. motion, on being put to tho 'meeting, was greeted with a shout of " Aye," and no voice b&ins raised against it the Chairman declared it carried unanimously. The meeting then Irroko up to resume tho business of tlio sale. ■ •