STOCK ROUTE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18067, 19 April 1933, Page 8

STOCK ROUTE

ORMOND ROAD OPPOSED THE PRACTICAL SIDE “At present owners of cattle are losing hundreds of pounds a year as a result of bruised stock and stock dying in the yards at the freezing works through them having to be driven over unsuitable roads. Up until recently Stout street has been used as an entrance to the town, hut if the Borough Council insists on the use of Ormond road as the only route it is difficult to determine the consequences to the farmer and stock owner.” These were the remarks of a well-known buyer in this district this morning to the Herald. Numerous letters had appeared in the press, he said, but most, of them had failed to look at the question from tile practical side.

Cattle, he explained, were formerly brought from the country to the iaruheru yards and from there driven along Stout street across the William Puttie bridge to the freezing works. Even along that route there was a certain amount of bitumen road surface and in the early hours of the morning in the rain it was almost impossible for the cattle and horses to secure a foothold. Conditions would be infinitely worse if stock had to use Ormond road, lie said, and to add to the drovers’ difficulties there was considerably more traffic along that route, than along any other. Cattle on a wet morning meeting Dig headlights of cars would not have a chance on a bitumen surface, and first class stock would soon be reduced to second by the time tile beasts haa arrived at the works. lie admitted that driving cattle through the streets in the early morning was accompanied by a certain amount of noise, but the majority of drovers were most considerate and tho dogs were worked only when absolutely necessary. To any person not fully realising the difficulties of drovers in bringing stock into town he extended an invitation to watch a mob of cattle' on a bitumen road in the morning, especially in the rain. The buyer displayed returns from the freezing works showing losses from bruised stock and Leasts dying in the yards and oil one small mob alone these were considerable.