RAILWAY FENCE REPAIRS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18770, 29 July 1935, Page 9

RAILWAY FENCE REPAIRS

POSITION OF FARMERS LEGAL OPINION SOUGHT Because members of the Poverty Bay A branch of the Farmers’ Union are dissatisfied with the, Kaihvoys Department's attitude regarding its liability to repair ,- rauwuy fences', 'the executive decided,. 11: ; on Saturday to seek an opinion on the - uigal aspect. - - •• ■■ t iho matter was discussed following the reading of a. letter from a ileiensvillo farmer, who stated that similar trouble to Gisborne's was being experi- { enceel in the north, and from the general manager of raiWrays- to the president, Mr. J. E. Benson, explaining the do- • t partment’s attitude on similar lines to a letter previously published. Liability , for the repair of the fences was dis- * claimed, but the department was pre- « pared to supply half Uie material, stated 1 i lie general manager. ' \ The president said that a Poverty Bay t remit to the Farmers’ Union conference. i£ on the matter had been deferred until A the next executive meeting. He had 4 taken the opportunity while in Welling- . ton of discussing the matter with the * general manager of railways, who said--' JL gangers who did not know the pbsitipn. ,2|’ had repaired fences ou- -various sions. The manager promised that., lip,Lil would look into tiie whole m&tteL if the department was obliged to repair ■: the fences it would do so. .'-'LA»L' *« Mr. Benson said he also interviewed A the deputy-chairman of the Unemplay-c----ment Board, Mr. W. Bromley,.and sug-”? •! gested that the fencing of the Tail way T would be a splendid job for unemployed, * i who would have 100 miles of fences, 50 miles on each side of the lino, A Bromley had replied that tho board ha# , ‘ [--j never done such a thing before, But if A the job was done on contract the board * would pay half the cost. A Mr. D. J. Gumming contended that the Railway Department was “shuff- V ing.” He added that if the department got out of it this time the farmers would always have to maintain railway ' fences. Mr. G. V. Smith said that at the time the land for the railway was purchased, the farmers were told that the department would be responsible for the erection and maintenance of fences. „ . Mr. Cumming: If we are responsible for the fences, we will be served shortly with little bits of blue paper. I cannot put cattle in my front paddocks now, because the fences are so bad. Mr. F. S. Bowen said that if the de- ’’ , partment could turn the railway fences * over to the farmers throughout the 3 Dominion, the department would escape j' maintenance of 6000 miles of fences. It was decided to appeal to the Cbok i County Council to secure an opinion from j the Countios’ Association’s solicitor on * the point, and the president and Mr". * Bowen were deputed to bring'the matter J before the council. ?