LEGISLATION 543 



In nearly all the preceding Ordinances and Acts provision was 

 made that all sheep dying of catarrh were to be burned or buried 

 at least three feet under ground, no carcasses were to be thrown 

 into any stream, and no infected sheep were to be slaughtered for sale. 



In 1876 there was passed "An Act to restrict the importation of 

 Cattle and other animals into the Colony of New Zealand in certain 

 cases," and Section 2 prohibits "all cattle, sheep, horses, swine, 

 goats or other animals," etc., which are likely to propagate any 

 infectious or contagious disease amongst men or animals. 



The next subject to attract political attention was the increase 

 of thistles. Wellington was first in the field in 1854 with an Act, 

 the wording of which is interesting. It was entitled "An Act to prevent 

 the propagation of certain plants known as Thistles" (the italics are 

 mine), and penalties were imposed for allowing thistles to run to 

 seed. I do not know whether the fines were actually enforced, but 

 it is highly improbable that they were, otherwise a large proportion 

 of the population would have been heavily penalised. The Act was 

 amended in 1856, and again in 1857. 



The Taranaki Provincial Council in 1856 passed "An Ordinance 

 to prevent the spread of the Scotch Thistle," and amended this six 

 years later to provide "better prevention of the growth, etc." of the 

 Scotch thistle. This was further amended in 1863. In the previous 

 year, also, "A Thistle Ordinance" was passed for the prevention of 

 noxious thistles. I do not know whether Scotch thistles were not 

 considered noxious, or whether it was that they were specially so, 

 but they certainly had a Bill all to themselves. 



The Auckland Provincial Council passed a Thistle Act in 1857, 

 and an Amending Act in 1859; the Nelson Council passed one in 

 1859, and an Amending Act in 1861 ; while the Otago Council passed 

 "A Thistle Prevention Act" in 1862. 



Gorse and broom gave trouble even in the early days of settlement. 

 Thus in 1859 the Provincial Council of Taranaki passed a "Furze 

 Ordinance," "an Ordinance to impose a Penalty on the growth of 

 Furze within the Town of New Plymouth." In 1868 another " Furze 

 Ordinance" was enacted, "An Ordinance to provide for the eradica- 

 tion of Furze growing on Public Roads," and this was amended and 

 re-enacted in 1875. 



In 1861 the Provincial Council of Nelson passed "An Act to 

 prevent the planting of Gorse Hedges in the City of Nelson," and 

 imposed a penalty not exceeding five pounds on any one disobeying 

 this law. Any one also who did not keep an existing gorse or furze 

 hedge pruned was liable to the same penalty. 



The early settlers were great law-makers, but also great law- 



