The Waipawa Mail TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1883. NUISANCES.

Waipawa Mail, Volume 5, Issue 517, 28 August 1883, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1883. NUISANCES.

A correspondent in another column bewails the extreme prevalence of perambulatorv nuisances in the township, and with good reason. It is almost impossible to go out of doors any evening after dark without meeting with stray cows or horses on the roads or footpaths. There appear to be some people so careless of the rights of the general public, that turning out a horse or cow to pick up a scanty living on the roads is looked upon as quite a matter-of-course action. This opinion, and its consequent practical result, cannot be too strongly condemned. The roads are not made to graze animals upon, and no owner of stock has any more right to seek pasture in the streets for his possessions than he has to open the gate of his neighbour’s paddock for the same purpose. It appears to be forgotten, in and around Waipawa, that it is not the lirst duty of man to buy horses or cows before the means of feeding them is secured or arranged for ; and that the possession of a horse or cow does not give undisputed title to a monopoly of the streets after dusk. We think the ratepayers generally are to blame, in a great measure, for the evils so many of them put up with. They have the electing of a lioad Board, and the latter body should certainly provide against the nuisance of straying cattle. But the Board, unfortunately, appear to be of a different opinion. Well, the members composing the Board did not elect themselves, they were put in power by the ratepayers. If the latter had extracted from each candidate a pledge to put down nuisances, we probably should not be writing this. The best suggestion we can make, under present circumstances, is one having reference to the future. There will shortly be an election of a new Road Board ; let the ratepayers demand from each candidate that he will make it his business, if elected, to keep cattle and horses from straying about the streets of the township. In connection with this matter, not only as experienced here, but in many parts of tho country, we consider the Government much to blame. It is now over seven years since the Provinces were abolished, and since that time nothing has been done by the Government to consolidate the conflicting laws relating to impounding. There is hardly a county or a road district in the colony that does not experience the need for a reasonable impounding statute, and yet nothing in the matter is likely to be done this year. Year after year passes by, each year the Government devote a word or two to the necessity for an Impounding Act, and each year there is nothing done. They have, certainly, advanced a step further this year, but a very hesitating step only, for a Bill is actually drafted. When it will be passed is another matter. The member for Waipawa lately brought the matter up in the House, and asked the Colonial Secretary if the Government intend to carry through the Impounding Bill during the present session, it being a measure that was urgently required in many districts. He said that in regard to the counties in no two places was the law the same, and it was very desirable that the Act should be passed. In the Hawke’s Bay District they did not know what law they were under, and if the Bill were not passed this session a large number of country districts would suffer very much. Mr Dick’s reply was to tho effect that he could not promise that the Bill would be carried through this sessioh. Of course if there was time the Government would make an effort to do so, but he could not promise absolutely that that would be done. That means that the Impounding Bill is again shelved.