SAWMILLER FINED

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1927, Page 4

SAWMILLER FINED

CUTXI.NO ON CROWN LAND

That it is unwise to Like a vendor’s word, respecting the boundaries ot land, was illustrated at the mouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday when Higgins and Fawcett, sawmillcrs, „t Brown Creek, near Inangahua Junction, were convicted and fined, on charges of encroaching upon Crown land in the course of their timbeF-cul-Ling operations. They were charged (1) that on March Ist. 1920 and on divers dates between March 1 and June 23, 1926, they did without right, title or license, fell timber growing upon Section 8 Block 1), Inangahua Survey District, contrary to the form of the statute; (2) that they did fell timber growing upon a public reserve not granted to or vested in any local body, trustee 1 !, or other persons, iVction 7, Block 9, Inangahua Survey District, proclaimed as a scenic reserve. Defendants were further charged under the Inspection of Machinery Act with employing Matthew Michael Twomoy, an engine driver holding a second-class certificate, when a first-class certificate was necessary. Mr W. I’. McCarthy appeared for defendants, and pleaded guilty to each charge. Mr \V. Meldrum, R.M. said (reports the Grev Star) that with regal'd to the cutting of the timber, defendants appeared to have acted quite honestly, and did not know they were cutting timber from public lands. That was shown hv the fact that they paiil royalty to Betts in flic belief that it was his land they were cutting on. Of course they should have taken pains to make sure they were on (lie right land As the cost of appraisement was heavy lie would impose merely a nominal penalty. Cost of appraisement £56 -Is Del) would he allowed to the Department, plus a line of £1 with 16s costs, in each case (£-!2 3s 7d to he allotted to the Crown lands, and £ll Is 2d to the scenic reserve). On the charge of employing a second-class engine-driver, defendants would he convicted and fined £2 with Bis costs.