Eight Cows And A Bull Wandering On City Road Leads To Prosecution

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 July 1949, Page 6

Eight Cows And A Bull Wandering On City Road Leads To Prosecution

As this was a first offence, defendant would be fined £2 and costs, but if there was a repetition the penalty would be increased, said Mr. S. Preston, S.M., m the Magistrate s Court, Wanganui, "yesterday, when Bud James Matthews was prosecuted by the Wanganui City Council for allowing eight cows and a bull to wander on No. 3 Line. Inspector J. Minnell, who prosecuted, said that the ranger, Mr. E. MHardy, found the stock in question wandering on No. 3 Line, within the city boundary, on the morning of July 5. Defendant had not long taken over the herd and the property, but the previous occupier was before the Court three weeks ago on a similar charge. The cows and the bull were out all night and found their way onto private property, Inspector Minnell added. A brother said that defendant was indisposed and could not attend Court, but was entering a plea of guilty. The herd was taken over by him on the Sunday and the cows got out that night. The bull could be described as “a fencer.” The magistrate: Depending on the size of the fence? Witness: No, sir, he would smash any fence up. He was disposed of on sale day. In reply to a further question, witness said that the fences were in very bad order, but his brother was carrying out repairs. He had, sold some of the cows. The magistrate: There was not enough feed for all of them, so 1 suppose the roadside was grazed? Witness: No, sir, there were so many holes in the fence that the stock got out. Defendant had disposed of his surplus stock, witness added. Th e magistrate commented that he had been farming and knew most of the answers to these questions. Inspector Minnell said that the other occupier had been a fairly persistent offender. The magistrate said that it appeared that the place had been overstocked in the past. He appreciated that it was a temptation with plenty of feed on the roadside. Defendant, however, had only just taken over the place and new management would probably mean an improvement. A tine of £2 was imposed, with Court costs 10s and expenses 12.5.