SHOOTING RABBITS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1932, Page 6

SHOOTING RABBITS

PASSER-BY FRIGHTENED. SOLICITOR CONVICTED. DUNEDIN, Feb. 28. What the magistrate described as needless alarm on tile part of a young woman, resulted in Frederick Duncan, solicitor appearingt-jin; the police court this morning on a charge of discharging a firearm near a public place, so as to frighten a passer-by. Duncan pleaded guilty.

Sub-Inspector Cameron said that the young woman and her companion had called at the .police station and complained that a Plan was shooting in tlie uTwfiTjeit. The woman, who was alarmed, said that two shots were fired. The police were dispatched to make inquiries. Later, Duncan telephoned headquarters, and admitted that lie was the culprit. Duncan ex pi ain ed’--that rabbits from the town belt were destroying his garden. He bad chased a rabbit out into tile belt but the first shot missed. The rabbit ran across the road, and Duncan killed it with his second shot. He said that at no time was the young lady within the line of fire. The rabbits were a nuisance in the town belt, but no provision was made by the city council to deal with them. “II am satisfied that Air Duncan would not fire so as to endanger anyone,” said the magistrate, Mr Bartholomew, S.M., in convicting defendant, and ordering him to pay court costs. .“In this case, the woman was needlessly alarmed,” he said.