OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 111, 26 January 1881, Page 3

OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

I_FBOM OUJt OWN COBBESPONDENT] G-BBYTOWN, jANFABr2O, 1881. At a meeting of the Wairampa West County Council, held on the 13th, the question of appointing Dog Registration Officers m the County was discussed. The ideas and opinions of the Councillors on this most important business, took a most extraordinary turn, and I think it worth while, both for the benefit of the Palmerston public at large, and for tho Manawatu councillors that the proceedings of the Wairarapa councillors on the matter should be laid before them. The Dog Registration Act of 1881, compels that all doga, within or without boroughs or municipalities, should be registered, and that County Councils appoint Registration officers — who must be provided with all requisites to carry the Act into force. Boroughs, of course, are expecLed to look to themselves since the revenue derivable goes into the borough treasury, and is used for borough purposes, the County Council having no power or control over boroughs. The chairman, Mr. C. Pharazyn, m introducing the question, spoke m rough terms of the Legislature m framing such an Act. A deal of discussion took place, which resulted m the chairman, above all, moving the following remarkable resolution, which was, singularly enough, carried without a murmur : — That m the opinion of tlii3 Council it is not desirable to appoint Dog Registration Officers, under the Regis'- ration of Doga Act, 1881, for counties geoerally, as from the scattered character of the population, the fact: that dogs are chi»fly kept for the purposes of real utility, and to a large extent Uy persons to whom the payment of the fees would be a serious tax, and the impossibility of enforcing the Act m the case of Native owners .of dogs. Within the limit 9 of the Local Board districts, however, the circumstances being entirely different, the Council will be prepared to support Registration Officers on the request of the Boards. The fees thereby colleoted to be handed to the Boards. This man of much knowledge, Wr. Pharazyn, owns a large pack of dogs, kept on his sheep station, for" purposes of real utility," he says, and if the tax were enforced, why, he, like "any other man," must pay his taxes. But to this Mr. Pharazyn objects. It is too much like loss for him. He did not object ; nay, he even said it was only just that the tax should be enforced within boroughs. Very nice. Mr. Pharazyn does ! not live under the municipal yoke ; he is outside. But, you ask, what are his councillors about, that they allow their chairman to hold sway ? Why, Sir, they, to a man, are large landowners, keep plenty of dog 9, and would, like the chairman, like to escape the imposition of the tax. The Act says, Registration Officers must be appointed by the Council. Here, then, is where these wise councillors hold the reins. The chairman told them that the only means of escaping the tax was, not to appoint Dog Registrars, as by so doing the tax could not of course, be collected. And councillors saw the force of the argument, so the resolution waa carried. This should be a wrinkle for the County Councillors of Manawatu, who hold large runs and keep packs of dogs. Nothing more amusing nor insolent with regard to local administration is within my recollection. An Act of the Legislative coming into force into 1881, does not meet with the approval of the Wairarapa West. County Councillors, and they seek to evade its operation. Mr. Pharazyn has several times tried, and ere long he will doubtless make another attempt, to get into the House of Representatives; and yet he is to be found here seeking and advising a means of evading the law, the operation of which displeases him. More, doubtless, will be heard of this matter. Greytown has lost its policeman. The oldest stat ion m the Valley has been closed on the Bcore of economy. A public meeting was held on Saturday evening last for the purpose of taking into consideration what should be tho next steps m the matter of getting a policeman back, and to receive the report of the deputation appointed to interview the Government on the matter. A few resolutions passing the most severe censure upon Major Atkinson nnd Colonel Reader for the ut terly false and misleading statements they have made from time to tim«» on the subject were carried. The deputation are to be despatched once more, and we now await the issue of their mission. The very day the policeman left the town, the larrikins commenced operations. Sign- boards, gates, elip-panneN, and everything moveable were shifted, whilst orchard robbing ia m full tide. The Carterton-Taratahi Race meeting takes place on Saturday next, and there remains but little doubfc of its being an immense success.