SHOOTING OFFENCES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 108, 24 May 1937, Page 7

SHOOTING OFFENCES

Man Fined For Killin^ Native Pigeon "DID IT FOR A B1T OF MEAT" "I did it for a bit of.meat; I did it on account of my wdfe, and I'm right up against it, ' ' said Abel J oseph Anoerson, of Puketitiri, milkhand, when Ixe pleaded guilty before Mr J. Miller, S.M., in the Napier Magistrate's Court to-day, to killing four native pigeons. He was fined £3, with £1 13/-, costs, two months being allowed in which to pay. For the Hawke's Bay Acclimatxsation Society, Mr M. R. Grant said that the defendant had heen found with a rifle and four native pigeoxxs. The rifle had been confiscated. Mjr Grant said that the defendant' s wife was in hospital and that he had probably taken ihe pigeon to try to save expense for meat, F. " A. Soper, of Napier, grocer, was fined £4, with £1 11/- costs, for shoot- j ing a coek pheasant before the opening ! of the season. The offence occurred in an area where the society had released pheasants which had been bred by the society. Mr J. T. Campbell, of Rokatane, Fernhill, was fined £3, with £l 16/costs, for shooting without a licdnce. Robert Frank Logan, of Napier, was fined £5, with 10/- costs, for a similar offence. Explaining that when he saw tw° wounded stilted plover struggling in the water at Westshore, he dispatched them, Lionel E. Boyd, of Westshore, tlsherxnan, was charged with taking the birds, Hisj action was observed by Ranger Austin, who gave evidonce. "This man is not a poaeher— he had taken out a licence." said the Bencli. "It is true that under the AGt there is a special deflxiition of takiug and killing, hut if these birds had been shot by someone else and he wexit out to dispatch them he shcuxld be given Credit for it. I think in this cafee he is entitled to a dismissal."