GOT THE BIRD

NZ Truth, Issue 1186, 23 August 1928, Page 9

GOT THE BIRD

But Also Received Other Things (From "N.Z. Truth's" Greymouth Rep.) When so-called sports load their shotguns, and take the trail m search of native pigeons during the close season, they must be ready to take the consequences of discovery. SO far from admitting his offence, and taking his gruel like a man, Con. O'Neill — or, to give him his party names — Cornelius Vincent; endeavored, according to the evidence given by the police to Magistrate W. Meldrum, to get himself out of the mess into which his sporting instincts had landed him, by saying that the three native pigeons found m the motor-car m which he was a passenger were ducks. When the police politely Intimated that they did not come down m the last shower, Con. pitched them another tale, to the effect that the birds, which were minus their heads and feathers, had been given to him as chickQns' But to show their lack of confidence m Con., the police charged him with taking native game (kereru), and with being m possession of native game. Con. was not confident enough to attend the court and give evidence on his own behalf, but had Lawyer Hani nan there to put m a plea of not guilty [on the "taking" charge, and one of guilty on the "possession" charge. The three pigeons, which had been [kept m training for their appearance as "Exhibit A" by being planted m a cool store for a fortnight, were the objects of longing looks by members of the police and court staff. Con.'s firstclass shotgun was also on exhibition. I Sergeant J. Smyth told the story of the raid on the motor-car just after it reached G-reymouth from the haunts of the pigeons, alias ducks, alias chickens, on the evening of Sunday, July 1. O'Neill denied shooting the. birds, but admitted that the shotgun was his property, and that he had just got it from Christchurch, and had taken it out to try it. Then Senior-sergeant C. B. Roach put m the official nips for the confiscation of the gun. > s Counsel contended that there was nothing to prove that O'Neill actually did the shooting. There was a party m the car, and someone had to take the responsibility for the contraband cargo. O'Neill was the holder of a duck-shooting license, and his gun should riot be confiscated. "If they are the same sort of ducks as were m his possession," snapped the senior-sergeant, "1 think it is just as well if he loses the gunl" Pointing out that Cornelius Vincent had not gone into the box to give evidence, Magistrate Meldrum said that the charges must be decided on the police evidence. He could draw only one conclusion from the duck-and-chicken statements made to the sergeant by O'Neill. The conclusion was that O'Neill took the game himself,' or at least was an< accessory to the taking. The confiscation of the gun or otherwise was aj question for decision by the Minister, and not by the court. So Con. was left without a feather to fly with. He was plucked financially for £3 and costs on the first charge, and costs on the second. Who got the pigeons? Well, the names, of tho recipients ar« hereby suppressed, '