Police intercept rogue rural thieves
Quick thinking from members of the public has led Police to stopping a pair of thieves from stealing items from rural mailboxes.
Police in the Waitematā North district are urging landowners to ensure their fences are secure after several complaints about wandering stock.
In the past four weeks, Police have received 36 complaints of wandering stock on the roads, ranging from a couple of miniature ponies on the road to more than 30 cows on the loose.
Areas of concern include Helensville, Wellsford, Dairy Flat, and Stillwater.
Waitematā North area prevention manager, Senior Sergeant Roger Small says one of the main causes for stock getting onto roads is inadequate fencing.
“This time of the year sees the slowest grass growth and I suspect some farmers are getting short on grass, which will be contributing to animals pushing through fences to the long grass on roadsides,” he says.
“We are reminding farmers to keep road boundary fences in good condition and for landowners to be extra vigilant around stock management and supervision.”
Small says that with each incident there is the potential for serious injury if a motorist is involved.
“Police are very appreciative of motorists taking the time to notify authorities of potential risks and in many cases, making efforts to usher stock back into paddocks before accidents occur.”
He says wandering stock pose a danger for road users, particularly at night when animals are hard to see.
“If a vehicle hits a large animal at speed it could end in tragedy.
“To avoid this it is important for land owners to ensure the integrity of their fences and farm gates, particularly in areas where stock are grazing paddocks next to roadside.”
Animals wandering onto roads is covered under several acts, which include the Animal Management Bylaw 2015, Impounding Act 1955, the Animals Law Reform Act 1989 and the Transit New Zealand Act 1989, though liability depends on the circumstances of each incident.
Through its new partnership with New Zealand Landcare Trust, Fonterra has committed to funding ten $25,000 grants for wetland restoration in communities across the country.
The chair of the Dairy Environmental Leaders (DEL) says the country's dairy farmers are at the forefront of environmental management.
On the edge of the hot, dry Takapau plains, Norm and Del Atkins have cultivated a small but exceptional herd of 60 Holstein Friesian cows within their mixed breed herd of 360 dairy cows.
The DairyNZ board and management are currently trying to determine whether, and to what degree, their farmer levy payers will support any increase in their levy contributions.
Milk production is up nationally, despite drought conditions beginning to bite in some districts, according to the latest update from Fonterra.
Dry conditions are widespread but worse in some places, with rain and drought affecting farms just a few kilometres away.
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