ROAD OBSTRUCTED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 5, 31 July 1946, Page 5

ROAD OBSTRUCTED

GALATEA FARMER PROSECUTED MAGISTRATE’S LENIENT VIEW Charged with leaving certain timber (pine trunks) on the Murupara road in such a manner as to obstruct the thoroughfare, S. W. Willetts, a farmer of that district pleaded guilty in the Whakatane Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr E. L. Walton, SM.

The prosecution was brought on by the Whakatane County Council, Mr T. Hamerton presenting the case and describing how five large pines had been felled by the defendant across the roadway, and then halved so that the centres were cut out in order to allow traffic to pass. This however left the butts protruding dangerously. Defendant had been warned on two separate occasions to remove them by the County Inspector but had failed to do so.

The defendant stated that the trees in the first place were considered very dangerous by the P.W.D. which had approached him to remove them on-account of their age. They were upwards of 200 ft. high. On account of their leaning over the road there was only one way to fell them and this had been done though as quickly as possible a clearance had been made through them and the roadway was unencumbered. He had then to arrange for a contractor to come from Rotorua to remove the logs and also to seek special permission to burn the trimmings owing to the recently gazetted Fire Districts., All this had taken time, and he considered that he had acted in the public interest in view of the serious menace the trees were to the passing public. * The Magistrate: Don’t you think he was acting in the public interests Mr Hamerton in clearing the trees?

Mr Hamerton: They were left on the road for two months Sir!

The Magistrate: As he has pleaded guilty, and in view r of all the circumstances I will impose a nominal fine of 20/- and costs (33/-).