RANGER OBSTRUCTED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 83, 28 November 1931, Page 5

RANGER OBSTRUCTED

A TAUPO case j WOULD NOT ALLOW THEIR • BAGS TO BE • SEARCHED OFFERED RANGER £2. ^ l An interesting case and one very much on a parallel with a case which was recently .the subject of Supreme Court appeal* in Auckland, was decid- f ed in the Taupo Magistrate's Court on Wednesday," when after hearing evidence on both sides, Mr. S. L. Patersop, S.M., fined two Maoris £lfi on separate charges of resisting aiid obstructing an accllmatisation ranger in the execution of his duty. It was made plain by the Conservator of Fish and Gaioie, who prosecuted, that the Department regarded an offeriee of this nature in a very serious light, and it was pointed out in the course of the case, that a ranger exercises the same power and authority as a police constable. The two Maoris were stopped by the ranger with a request that he should be allowed to examine the contents of two hags 'which* they were carrying On their horses. One of the men admitted that his bag contained three protected native pigeons, but according to the ranger, both men refused to dismount from fcheir horses and allow the hags to be searched. The two defeildahts, for whom Mr. Lochhead appeared, both entered pleas of not guilty ahd d-e-nied that they had in any way i*esisted or obstructed the ranger. • The two men wei'e Mana Osborne and Roto Rang'i, both of Mokai and were charged under section 36, subseetion 3 of the Animals Protectio'n and Game Act, with resistin^' a^.d --•bstructing Ranger George Watsqn on August 16 at Kaiwha, hear Mokai. Serious Matter * The Conservator of Fish and Game, Mr A. Kean, in opening the case, stated that evidence would be called which would show that the two men had wilfully obstructed the ranger from exercising the powers conferred upon him under the Act. Obstruction of this nature was a serious matter and it was contended that these tactics had been resorted to hy the defendants in the hopes of avoiding being detected in the possession of protected native game. The evidence would show that the ranger had reason to suspeet that the two defendants were in the possession of native pigeons, but owing to their definite refusal to allow the officer to search fcwo sacks which they were carrying, he had been unable to carry out the powers conferred upon him. Ranger George Watson, in evidence, said that he encountered the two accused on August 16 in the bush near Kaiwha. He had gone there as a result of information he had received that the two men were out shoo'ting. Both men were riding horses and eaeh leading a paek-horse on which portions of the carcases of several pigs were slung. On their own horses, in front of the saddles, they had two sacks but when he requested them to dismount and allow him to search the sacks, both defendants refused point blank to allow him to do So. Pigeons in. Bag Osborne went to the length. of admitting that he had three native pigeons in his bag but said that'he had got them foav a sick person and would rather go to gaol than allow them to be conficsated. Osburn also had . a double barrelled gun with which he admitted he had shot the pigeons. The Maori, Roto Rangi, had then asked witness whether he would take £1 to say nothing about the matter and when witness had refused both men had remarked that he was "a hard_ man," and that other ranger s did it. Rangi had then said "be a sport, I don't want to go to court. I will give you £2." Witness had agaih refused and the men had then told him that he would get nothing and could do his worst. ' Handed Over Guns Witness then told them that if they persisted in their attitude they would be charged with obstructing hina. The men still refused to allow him to, search their bags and he appealed to them again to hand over their guns. Finally Osborn handed over the shotgun and Rangi then gave him a .22 rifle which he was carrying. He had argued with the men for over one and a half hours and during the later pai't of this time, it had been raining. In reply to the Conservator, Watson denied that he had any grudge against the two Maoris. He had lcnown them both for some time and had always been on friendly terms with them. • The two defendants in evidence, denied that they had refused to allow the ranger to search their bags or that they had taken any pigeons. They claimed that the ranger had searched the bags and found only pox*k. Under cross-examination, however, Osborn finally admitted that nearly an hour had elapsed before they had handed over their guns. _ The Magistrate said that he believed the story told by the ranger and fined both men £10 with costs.