MENACE TO MOTORISTS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1930, Page 11

MENACE TO MOTORISTS

STOCK ON ROADS AT NIGHT. EGMONT COUNTY TO PROSECUTE. The wandering stock menace, particularly from the aspect of the danger to motorists at night, was again the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Egmont County yesterday, when it was decided that prosecutions will follow in all cases of cattle found wandering at night. The report of the ranger (Mr. F. Williams) showing that he had seized six head of stock wandering at Pihama, four at Pungarehu and 30 at Puniho had been regd when Mr. J. S. Tosland said he had been given to understand that the case at Pihama was one of distinct hardship. The cows, which belonged to a woman in poor circumstances, had got on to the road through no fault of their owner’s, but of course she had to pay. It was a case in which he would willingly pay the fees himself. On the same day he had been given to understand that the ranger had passed a cow on the road at the Taungatara River and had not collected it. The chairman said that if he did that deliberately it was the duty of the council to inquire into it. Wandering stock, he said, was a continual worry to him. At his end of the district he was told that they were persecuting people,- yet during last month there were no less than three motor accidents through stock wandering on the roads at night and there were very nearly lives lost also. A motor-cyclist collided with stock and had his machine burnt. Four days later a motor-car . collided with stock, and four or five nights later another motor-car was smashed in colliding with a beast which was killed. He had been called up late at night on each occasion. Despite that, he said, when the council prosecuted it was told it was persecuting ratepayers. He did not know how to overcome the difficulty. He knew the police had been out at least three nights the matter. As soon as a cow is ee.-ed in another riding they were told it was an unfortunate case. He was just about "full up.” They might as well cancel the whole thing and let cows stray on the road until half the people were killed. Possibly they might kill some that continually allowed their stock to wander on the road.

The chairman said that he had been worried during the past month when the accidents occurred and on the other hand had been accused of persecuting people. He, however, was not responsible but the council was. It had tried every time to meet the-position in a reasonable way. He had travelled on the roads in the Oeo riding recently and had seen over 4ff head of cattle on the roads. He drove carefully but the motor regulations said that a motorist could travel as fast as he liked so long as he did not kill any one —and then he had to show that he was not travelling too fast.

Mr. Tosland said that the ranger may have intended to pick up the cow he passed on his way back. Wandering stock in the day time was not so bad, but when stock wandered at night they should issue instructions to prosecute, irrespective of person. Mr. Shepperd said there had been two accidents recently on the Ihaia Road. At the last meeting he had moved that all owners ,of stock straying at night be prosecuted but had not had a seconder.

Mr. Young said he also was sick of the position. Every offender should be treated alike and prosecuted. The number of accidents was becoming very .serious. There were cattle everywhere on the roads and he held that they were turned out deliberately, not more than one per cent, getting on the roads accidently. ' The ranger was the best they had ever had in the district in his long experience on the. Road Board and County Council, but they had recently clipped his wings. Mr. Collins agreed that if they had left the ranger alone and given him a free band there would have been no trouble, as he feared or favoured no one. Mr. Tosland moved that the ranger be instructed to prosecute in all cases of cattle wandering at night on the roads. The chairman pointed out that the ranger could not take cattle off the road at night. The inspector had to. do'that. The inspector had not been appointed to do that work but merely to cany out duties under' the Motor Regulations Act. . As it was his work took him out half his time at night. . .. ■ ' A councillor said that the police would prosecute where the owner of straying stock was found. Mr. Young considered the attention of the ranger should be drawn to the reports of cattle straying on the roads. He had seen a number of working bullocks on the road. After further discussion it was decided to institute prosecutiens in all cases of cattle straying at night.