BOROUGH COUNCIL BYB.LAWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3228, 16 September 1879, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL BYE.LAWS.

TO THB EDITOR.

S IR) — The feeling of the public was expressed by Mr. Burton that "the law as administered instead of being a terror to evil doers is made a torment to peaceable settlers." All must be struck with the numberless petty cases which come before the Court—so numerous, that our very respected Inspector of Police informed the Resident Magistrate that he could not got out his summonses quick enough, and that Mr. Eawson ought to have assistance !! So numerous, and yet so ofteu dismissed, or Is. fine inflicted, because in nine cases out of ten the summoned parties are merely the victims of accidents. Inspector Balleu says "in every Municipality there is a foye-law by which fines could be inflicted." Very likely " could bo inflicted," but is there a detective watch kept up to catch fines ? I doubt it.

The Bench alluded to the "groat Dtiisance arising from catfclo straying, and stated that in spite of the fines it was as bad as evnr." No fines can prevent the misfortune of a man having his rails loft down, or his fluid gate left open by a third party. If the one who does the evil could bo fined it might do him good, but to pull up and fine a man who is alroady a victim, and has bad loss of time and poundage to pay, shows neither good sense nor is it justice, though it may bo law; or at all events a straining of the law in acting up to tho words of it but not the spirit. Do our police show equal activity in other matters ? I fear not. A house is no sooner left empty than our windows aro broken by our Arabs. , Do the police then exert themselves to find the law and window breakers ? If they do it is done very quietly, as it is nover heard of? Is there indeed no crime hero ? Oh ! happy, thrico happy spot, where polico have only cows, horses, and packing-cases to contend with. Long may you continae to find for your police such easy work, and even then require assistance in Court to get tho summonses out quickly. — I am, <&c, Bye-Laws and Police.