24 DECOYS USED

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 72, 19 August 1938, Page 3

24 DECOYS USED

CASE AT GISBORNE MAORI FARMER, FINED A Maori farmer at Murivvai, Mangu Kemp, was convicted and fined £1 and costs £2 14s when lie appeared before Mr E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Gisborne Magistrate's Court on a charge of using more than 15 artificial decoys at one time while shooting for wild game on May 2. Mr J. G. Nolan appeared for the East Coast Acclimatisation Society and Mr G. J. Jen lie lor the defendant. The official ranger for the society, Gwen Angus Turnbull Cameron, said he counted 23 decoys in a group near the shooting stand occupied by Kemp and defendant admitted having 24 out. The Government ranger, Charles -Breingan, said he saw the defendant with Cameron on. the following day and he admitted having 24 decoys placed. However, there were two men in the stand and the decoys were between them. Mr Jen lie said that Kemp was shooting with Alt' Jones and there were two distinct groups of decoys, about 100 yds. apart. There was also, another stand on the stream and .that was occupied by M. Poliatn and Percy Jones. The position was explained to the ranger. There wero no ducks about that morning and consequently no shooting. In evidence Kemp said that there were 28 decoys in the stream. Alfred Norman Jones, Matawhcro, also gave evidence. Mr Walton said it would take more than the bpld assertions of Kemp and Jones to convince him that they had their decoys set GO yds. out from the stand. 14c could see no reason why the two using the stand had not been instead of only the one.—P.Bl. Herald.