UNREGISTERED POULTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1934, Page 6

UNREGISTERED POULTRY

MANY OWNERS DEFAULT.

ACTION OF THE BOARD.

A total of 12,691 registrations was recorded by the Poultry Board for the period from June 1 to September 1, the fees received amounting to £2272. The last Government census of poultry, in 1926, showed over 30,000 flocks of 25 or more fowls. ... “In the absence of any later statistical returns it is impossible,” the board states, “to venture any opinion in regard to the present number of flocks of 25 or more, neither is it possible to arrive at any estimate of the number of flocks of 25 or more head of poultry from which eggs are not sold, and which are therefore not subject to registration. Nevertheless, it is obvious that thousands of poultrykeepers whose poultryruns are subject to the provisions of tjie Act, and who should have registered them in June, have failed to do so, thereby rendering themselves liable to prosecution.

“An absurd method of attempted evasion reported to the board took the form of dividing a flock between members of a family so that each person would ostensibly own less than 25 head of poultry. Other persons have been misled into believing that poultry kept for breeding purposes are exempted, whereas where any eggs are sold from a flock of 25 or more poultry, all poultry must be included, and the appropriate fee paid.” . . • ' The board has intimated that before taking action to enforce registration it will accept voluntary overdue registrations without raising the question of penalty.