IN SEARCH OF OPPOSSUM

Otaki Mail, 17 August 1923, Page 3

IN SEARCH OF OPPOSSUM

{ A £5 FINE. I At the Magistrate's Court on Tfcurs--I.luy U. iiiggxe, manager oc J. Odiiu's property at Kikionmgi, prosecuted I against M. Boyd ior trespassing on the 1 farm property. Mr. AtMioro, in outlining informant's ease, said that the acts of Uesjmss complained of wen' of a serious and provocative nature and he would ask •he court t" indict a penalty sufneieni to prevent the defendant continuing uis unlawful actions. Continuing, he said that J. Cdiii: and Company's property, situated on the ranges at RikiorangS and comprising 3,900 acres, had bseu divided into three blocks for the opossum season commencing from the Ist July, and trapping rights had been acquired for the whole season by -various parties. The defendant had no rights whatsoever to go oil Odlin's property, and on several occasions had ocen warned oil by both the informant and the licensees of the trapping tights; but he paid no attention to the warnings. Defendant was camped about one mile in the bush on the Government reserve and made nightly excursions on to Odlin's property and that of adjoining owners in search of opossums. With the assistance of a well-trained dog the o|>ossums were driven into trees on the edge of the clearings and were then shot down by j the defendant. An aeetyliue light was j used by defendant to locate the opossums in tho trees. The practice of shooting the animals was unlawful and the Acclimatisation Society had been asked to take action but had done nothing. The informant complained that his sheep were being badly worried by thc dog and frightened by the barking and shooting. lie had 900 ewes in lamb besides the stock on the property. The country was rough and some of the sheep had already been lost in the gorges'; During the previous season j 70 sheep had been lost on the property. ; On tho night in question the informant

>uid one of the licensees, alter Marking defendant for some threw hours caught him on Odlin's property with i i%o opossums slung across his shoulders. He admitted having shot lite opossums an Odlin's property and threatened with pro dings and ,]■>- iiactly stated thiit he ivouUi 1"' lined only a U-w shillings and that hi would need to shoot more opossums (o pay the line, tiiiicc the information bad been laid defendant still (••■jntimu'd to tresdcioudunt Mr. Atmore asked ior a substantial penalty. The informant gave evidence oa the above line,. He -ta-,d that notice against trespass bad been posted on the property and he had wnrned Uoyil on several occasions to keep off the place. The damage to the sheep might be '.iis-y serious; aiso th-. licensees of the trapping ri;_ r b>r '.vere fonip'aining bit-' turns. F. Meyer. The Court in giving judgment said that the art. complained of were very serious. Defendant would '.<■ fined £5. '.T 13? Id. solicitor's fee £2 s>, in de-,

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