SHEEP WORRYING

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 18

SHEEP WORRYING

A CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. At the Magistrate's Court on Sept. 20 Iloid Bros., ot Woodside, brought ah action against James Robert Parker, of Maungatui, for £122 damages, alleged to have boon done by the defendant’s dogs to the plaintitfs’ sheep. Mr J. Lang appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr B. S. Irwin for the defendant. Mr Lang, having opened the case for plaintiffs, said that h;s clients had 1200 sheep on their lands in the Maungatua, district. There were 400 of these sheep grazed in the immediate neighbourhood of Parker’s land. During the past year, at the very lowest computation, 100 sheep were damaged. The claim was for 22 sheep in connection with which evidence would bo given of the identification of the defendant’s dogs. In addition, there was the claim for damage to 400 sheep worried by the defendant's clogs. Section 27 of ‘‘ The Dog Registration Act, 1908,” provided that every owner shall be liable for any damage done by each of his dogs, and it shall not be necessary for the claimant to prove the mischief done by each dog. The price charged for each sheep when they were killed or badly worried and had to bo killed, was £l, and the evidence would show it to be very reasonable. There were £IOO damages claimed for depreciation on the flock of 400. Counsel pointed out that in addition to the worrying the hunting of the- sheep had a serious effect upon the wool, which became brittle and depreciated in value from 2d to 3d per lb. William Warrender Reid was the first witness called for the plaintiffs. His evidence consisted of a corroboration of counsel’s statement.

To Mr Irwin: He had no right to the mining reserve on which these worried sheep grazed. He had received permission from the rabbit inspector to graze the reserve conditionally on the rabbits being kept under. He could not describe the dogs which did the worrying, but ho was certain they belonged to Parker. Defendant was now' lessee of the reserve in question. Re-examined by Mr Lang, witness stated, that one condition on which the defendant got the lease of this reserve from fhc Land Board was that he should not drive the sheep off until ho had fenced it. Isaac Reid said that when he mustered in March of this year for dipping purposes, four sheep had their hams torn out, and there were several others pulled about. He had to kill one on the way home. Witness interviewed the defendant about not having his fence sheep proof. He got into a rage and witness also got angry. They talked about the worrying of the sheep, and Parker blamed a dog which came up the creek once a month. In December, 1914, when r the sheep were being mustered for shearing there were about a dozen sheep found to be badly worried. The effect of the sheep being hunted about stopped the growth of the wool.

To Mr Irwin: r lhe sheep were worried when being driven off the defendant’s property.

William James Reid, jun., stated that his brother and ho looked after the sheep on the run at Maungatua. He detailed instances on which he discovered that sheep had been worried. He killed one on the run and another in the yards because of their bad condition through worrying. Ho had also noticed dead sheep, which showed signs of having been worried to death. His brother and he_ set a watch for the clogs which were doing the worrying, and on May 1 saw Parker come out on to the top of the hill. Ho had a look round, and then went back and lot his black collie dog go. There were about 20 sheep of theirs feeding on Parker’s property. He hunted the dog after these sheep, and it brought them down by the side of the boundary fence towards a gap in it. The sheep would not go out, so ho let another dog loose and then drove the sheep down into a gully; but they would not go out, so he bashed them about and picked up -a couple and threw them over the fence. The second dog liberated wont up a ridge and got in among another mob of sheep. He tried to bite them.

Cross-examined by Mr Irwin, witness stated that bo had not brought under Parker’s notice the fact that the sheep had boon worried.

Prank Douglas Reid and Anthony Withers also gave evidence, and this closed the case for the plaintiffs. Mr Irwin moved for a nonsuit, pointing out that there was not a tittle of evidence

to connect the worrying of the sheep with the defendant or his dogs. The only case, and ho was not charged with damages for this, was when he drove the plaintiff’s sheep out of his property on May 2. Mr Lang, in reply, stated that there had been a presumption that the defendant's dogs had been worrying for some time, and the Reids, who were in charge of the place, had set a watch, and practically clinched tho presumption that Parker’s dogs did tho worrying.

The .Magistrate reserved his decision on this point. For the defence, James Robert Parker (the defendant) stated that, on May 1 last, he had four dogs —two retrievers and two collies. On May 2 ho had occasion to put between 17 and 20 hoggets belonging to the plaintiffs, off his property. For this purpose he used two collies, which had been chained up. One of them was a pup, and would not look at a sheep, but cleared off after a rabbit. His cld dog would not touch a sheep; in fact, ho practically had no teeth, and would not be able to bite if he wanted to. Ho was not responsible in any way for tho worrying which had been done. To Mr Lang: Tho black dog, or, in fact, all his dogs, were not off tho chain at any time unless they were with him or sonic members of his family. He had drowned two dogs, because ho had no use for them, and not because they had been worrying Reid’s sheep. In answer to the Magistrate, defendant said ho had not promised at any time to pay Reids for sheep worried by his dogs. What ho had said was that, if his dogs were caught worrying, Roid could shoot them, and ho would, in addition, pay for tho sheep. William Cooper, Josephine Parker, Lillian Cooper, and William O’Brien also gave evidence.

The court rose at 6.15 p.m. until 10 o’clock this morning.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS. 'On tho 25th nit. there was a good attendance of shearers at a meeting held at Tapanui to discuss the price of shearing for the coming season. The chairman stated that as the price of everything had risen, he thought that the price of shearing should also be raised. Several of those present voiced their opinion on the matter, and after some discussion it was decided to send the following resolution to the secretary of the Farmers’ Union: —“That at a meeting of shearers it was resolved that the price of shearing for the coming season bo 25s jjcr 100, and for studs double rates, including rations.” Delegates were appointed to meet the Farmers’ Union if found necessary. The Courier suggests that the shearers should get a war bonus of so much per hundred to compensate them for the high price of commodities. The ordinary rate of £1 per hundred seems big enough, but there is often so much loss of time owing to wet; and farmers should endeavour to have another job going at shearing time, so that the men and boys could earn a living wage in broken weather. On some stations last year shearers did not average £1 a week. A traveller overland last week from. Blenheim to Waimate, via Kaikoura, Parnassus, and the Canterbury Plain, declares (says the Waimate Advertiser) that South Canterbury, if dry, is not nearly so drought-afflicted as Flaxhourne and the East Coast generally. At Ward the young willow plantations were Been to have been chopped down to provide fodder for live stock last summer. The only green patches seen proved to be lucerne, which is understood to be proving such a blessing to the Marlborough graziers that it is predicted the acreage will increase as . fast as seed can be got to sow the ground. Even at Kaikoura the country needed rain, though it is usually capable of growing luscious ryegrass knee-deep in the midst of any drought. Recently William Dew (Dr H. D. Barnford), Michael John Bain (Mr A. E. Skelton), and Robert Hutchinson were charged at the Auckland Police Court before Mr E. O. Cutten, S.M., with selling short-weight butter. Judgment in all tho cases was delivered on Monday. The magistrate said that he reserved his decision in these cases because one or two rather interesting points were raised. He could not, however, see his way to convict any of the defendants. Had all the charges been against one defendant, he might have done so, because the effect of the evidence in the whole of the cases was to show that the factories did not make sufficient allowance for loss of weight. At the same time, they should comply with the regulations of the Health Department and state that “pats” contain 15foz net. Tho percentage of shortage, in one case 1 per cent., and in the other considerably less, was so slight that ho did not think ho was justified in convicting. Tho prosecutions, however, could be taken as a warning. The cases would bo dismissed on tho ground that they were trivial. T*he National Wool Grower (America), says that the world does not realise that for its size England is the finest wool-pro-diudng country in the world. The number of sheep in tho British Isles has been gradually declining for a few years but it is still round about 29,000,000. The total weight of wool produced varies somewhere between 122,000,0001 b and 123.000,0001 b. At to-day’s prices it is estimated the value of the English dm is close upon £8.000,000. At the annual meeting of tho shareholders of the Kakaramca Dairy Co., it was unanimously decided to grant the manager (Mr Orosbie) a bonus of twenty guineas in appreciation of his services during the past year, the directors paying a warm tribute to hi= sterling worth as a cheesemaker. Foxes have, wrought a great deal of damage among young lambs in the Swan TT : 1! district, the dearth of rabbits, which is tho usual food of tho fox, being one of the principal reasons. As high as 14s is being paid in Wairarapa for forward delivery lambs. The New Zealand record for butter-fat is now held by the Holstein cow Manor TV*ets Daughter Second of Aehlynn with 18,7331 b milk and 863'h butter-fat in 365 days. The record was held previously hv Nctherland Princess TV with 19.6211 b m ; !ic and 805-711 > fat. The latter was under three years old when she commenced her test, while the first-na mod cow is <,w>- lour years of ago. It. is in teres Hnsr to compare these figures with those of the \ .m Rod Poll cow, M" 1 r'a. Hn'ch < f n ye 14J ' : h milk in 365 days. Slid 8841-1 > butter-fat. At the annual mooting of the Te Aroha

Dairy Company there was considerable discussion before the following amendment to a motion was carried: —“That all creameries bo closed down and not run; but tho directors may run any creamery should the suppliers at such creamery enter into an agreement with tho company to pay tho total cost of skimming at such creamery.” The chairman (Mr Strange), who brought it forward, said that home separation was taking a big hold of the dairying industry, and tho directors must face tho position. Tho wording oi tho amendment might seem drastic, but should any group desire to supply a creamery they had the option of paying the cost of skimming. An interesting experiment in a stateowned horse stud is that conducted by tho Police Department in Queensland. That stato has bred horses for police .purposes for many years, but several years ago tho stud was removed and remodelled in the rough country north of Roma. The breeding station now has five breeding stallions and four young stallions, 169 marcs with 111 foals at foot, and 419 other horses, of a total value of just under £BOOO. There are also cattle of a value of £2736. During last year sales were effected and allotments of remounts made to the value of over £9OO. Tho establishment is run very cheaply, with a couple of constables, who also perform patrol work in the district, and it is expected that the station will soon fulfil the total purpose of its initiation —tho provision of sufficient remounts for the force. An excellent class of horse is bred on tho station.

According to tho annual report of the Chief of the Sheep Division of the Union Department of Agriculture, South Africa, there were 35,818,000 sheep (woollod and non-woolled) in tho Union at the end of 1913, as against 35,881,921 tho previous year. The losses during the year totalled 1,157,832, of which 700,558 were due to drought. There were 32,225 permanent and portable dipping tanks in the Union, of which 2909 were erected during the year 1913. The total expenditure of the Sheep Division for tho year amounted to £129,044, of which £IIB,OOO was expended on the eradication of scab. Arrangements have been made whereby New South Wales will agree to Queensland firms purchasing pigs on the northern rivers for treatment in Queensland as formerly. In return a percentage of the pork and bacon is to be returned to New South Wales at a price fixed by the Commodities Board. Messrs Woddel and Co., in their report say, inter alia: It would naturally be ex- . pected that the excessively high prices of butter would bo extremely favourable to tho margarine industry, and certainly a very greatly increased consumption has occurred during the past season. The profits of tho trade have not, however, corresponded with the increased amount sold. There are now two distinct kinds of margarine on our markets; that in which animal fats form tho base, and known as oleo margarine; and the vegetable variety, of which cocoanut oil is the principal ingredient, sold as nnt butter. As all animal fats have increased in Erico proportionate to butter, oleo margarine as had to be steadily advanced until the best quality retails at lOd to Is per lb—a rise which has somewhat curtailed the demand. The price of vegetable margarine on tho other hand has been kept by the keen competition of manufacturers at one level ever since the war broke out, viz., sixpence per lb, with the result that only a small margin of profit is obtainable. Pure butter meets with no direct competition from this source, but like many other commodities such as meat, fruit, cheese, etc., soils at prices varying more or less according to quality, and the past season has incidentally proved that there are enough consumers of best butter in this country to pay for about 250.000 tons a year (including the Homo product), at the highest price on record.

In the year 1815, says Mr M. G. Elliott in the course of an address the imports of wool into Great Britain were as follows: —Sydney 151 bales, Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania) 92, Cape 11, Germany 8964, Spain 24,649, Portugal 6351, Italy 295, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, etc., 292, Peruvian and Alpaca 274, Tlanish 250, sundries 3950, making a total of 46,156 bales for the year. Sydney, Tasmania, and the Cape arc now the only places on the above list from which we receive any wool, though it will be recognised that, tremendous as the British wool imports are to-day they all come from the colonies, (South America and South Africa. A well-known retired farmer of the Gore district informed a Mataura Ensign representative that the present _ season_ was the driest experienced in the district since 1890. During that season a splendid harvest was recorded, and farmers had a particularly profitable season. A ssvere flood was experienced after the close of the harvest, but too late materially to affect the farming community The recent rains in the Gisborne district are confidently expected (says the. Poverty Bay Herald) to assure a prosperous season for dairy farmers. V Shearing has commenced on some farms in the Geraldine district (says the correspondent of the Christchurch Press). The rain still holds off, but the crops are looking well, though many complain that they have to cart water for stock and household.

The vexed question of noxious weeds and the administration of the Act was introduced at the meeting of the Clutha branch of the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union on Saturday by Mr John Christie, who (says the Leader) asked that this question be discussed at some future meeting of 'the branch. Ho pointed out that this year a number of local farmers had been fined, while in other cases summonses which had been served had been withdrawn. This, he considered, was something approaching a scandal. He moved: “That a meeting of the branch and the Clutha and Matau A. and P. (Society be held to discuss what should be done in the matter of having the Act remedied.”

Mr J. Blair mentioned at the mooting of the General Committee of the Egmont A. and P. Association on Saturday (says the Manawatn Times), that the farmers’ class of instruction, which had boon recently inaugurated, was now in full swing, and good would be sure to come of it. The Minister of Education would shortly be visiting the district with the object of seeing this and the older classes in the district at work.

A recent visitor to the Upper Clutha district informs the Cromwell Argue that prospects throughout the various farming centres are the beet known for very many years —in fact at this particular period of the year have never been hotter. The sight of beautiful green fields which greet the traveller at every turn is. in his opinion, one of which the equal could not be found in Australasia. The recent rainfall has done a vast amount of good. It is estimated (says the Grcymouth Star) that the butter and cheese factories in the Westland district will pay out about £35,000 to their milk suppliers during the season

now commencing-. This amount is a largo increase compared with last season’s payments.

Forty-four now members were elected to the Egmont A. and P. Association on Saturday (say's the ITawcra Star). During the past two or three months 130 now members had been enrolled, and the chairman said that if they could reach the 1000 mark there would not be much need to worry about the bank overdraft.

The Foxton paper has boon informed that a district farmer cleared £9OOO on a lino of bullocks purchased from Hawke’s Bay during the drought and recently disposed of at the high prices ruling.

It is understood that as a result of the heavy shipment taken from Oamaru by the s.s. Matatua (says the North Otago Times), a clearing of all meat will be made in the freezing chambers of the Christchurch Moat Company’s Pukouri works.

The lambing season has been good in the Auckland Province this year, the good feed and warm weather having contributed largely to this state of things. In tile Opotiki district, on an area comprising onehalf bush and ono-half cleared land, 1480 ewes produced 1350 lambs, and in the allgrass areas the percentage in many instances exceeded 100 per cent. Mr A. Schmidt, secretary of the Auckland branch of the Now Zealand Farmers’ Union, who returned from a visit to the Waikato, Te Aroha, and Matamata districts on Saturday, told a New Zealand Herald reporter that the percentage of lambs was slightly lower in those districts than it had been in previous years. The good season, however, was having its effect, and both sheep and lambs were , looking well. With the exception of a brief shower of rain on Wednesday, the dry weather has been uninterrupted throughout the month, and the prospects for the coming cocksfoot crop are very unsatisfactory (says the Akaroa correspondent of the ’ Christchurch Press). The area under crop will bo even smaller than last season, as many dairy farmers will bo unable to shut up their paddocks on account of shortage of pasture for their herds.

The warm weather experienced in the Arrow district during the past week has had a marked effect on pasture and autumnsown crops. The grass is coming away splendidly (says the Lake County Press), and there is every indication that farmers will have an abundance of spring feed. On Mr Reid’s property, near the Mill, a crop of rye was about six inches in height prior to sheep being turned on, while at Lake Hayes the first crop of lucerne was recently cut from a small area.