STOCK ON HIGHWAYS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19884, 10 March 1939, Page 13

STOCK ON HIGHWAYS

NIGHT DROVING- PERMITS

WARNING TO MOTORISTS

TIME LIMIT SUGGESTION

A warning to motorists that mobs of cattle might be encountered on the roads at night was given yesterday afternoon at the meeting of the Gisborne advisory committee of the Automobile Association (Auckland). Drovers with special permission, it was stated, had a legal right to be on the roads with stock during the hours of darkness, this advice being received with surprise toy the majority of members. It was decided to discuss the matter at the annual meeting.

The secretary of the committee, Mr. George Crawshaw, reported that he had received a complaint from a member that he had come into collision with a mob of cattle on the Wharerata Hill highway at 8 p.m. one day. The member .said it was dark at the time and he had asked Mr. Crawshaw his position owing to the fact that the drover told him that he was licensed to drive the stock at night.

The position was explained by Mr F. R. Bould, who said that a drover could get a special authority to move' cattle at night. Cattle from stations such as Te Hau and Turehau seldom saw a human being and were .so wild that it would be impossible to shift them on the roads during daylight hours. The chairman, Mr. F. Tolerton, said that no stock should be allowed on the highway at'B p.m., but it was a different matter at 1 a.m.

Mr. H. H. 'De Costa suggested that a protest should be made through the head office of the association to the Minister of Agrioi*ltu!re, the lion. \V. .Lee Martin; that no .stock should be permitted on the roads until after midnight. The suggestion met with approval, and it was decided to discuss it further at the annual meeting on March 17.

Those present were Messrs. F Tolerton, chairman, A. Baillie, C. .T, Cox, L. Miles, F. R. .Bould, H. H. De Costa, A. J. Terry, N. H. Bull, and Dr. A. L. Singer.