MAORI POACHERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 305, 19 August 1932, Page 6

MAORI POACHERS

TWO NATIVES SHOOT THREE HUNBRED & TWENTY -FOUR PIGEONS In the Opotiki Magistrate's Court on Wednesday Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., had before him several cases of shooting protected game and took a very serious view of the charges. The principal offender was Charles Matchett, who was charged with' obstructing the police, with having pigeons in his possession and with recklessly di'iving his motor-car on the Waioeka Road. In stating the case Sergeant Miller said that with Constable Breed he met the accused in his motor car on the Waioeka Road on August 5 and signalled for them to stop. Matchett refused to obey and neaxdy ran down Constable Breed. They gave chase and saw two bags thrown out, one of which coxxtained 52 pigeons. The car also raced through a mob of cattle, hit two of them and rushing another over the bank. A Maori named Karotahi and his daughter were in the car, which they (the police) follow'ed to Waioeka Pa. The girl made a statexnent to the effect that the car contained 324 pigeons. For the defence it was alleged that Matchett became possessed of the pigeons by a pure accident. He went for a drive up the Waioeka Road, taking the girl with him. During the journey they met Takamori on the roadside with two bags and agreed to take them to the pa for him. They did not know what was in the bags. Later they pdcked up Karotahi. He did not attempt to run over the police, but lost his head and did the wrong thing. Mr. Paterson declared the charge of obstructing the police was a serious one and pointed out that when a motorist was signalled to stop by the police he should do so. However, he resei'ved his decision on the rnatter. On being a party to the killing of pigeons he fined Matchett £15 and costs and on the charge of recklsss driving £1 and costs. The two natives, Takamori and Karotahi, charged with shooting. the birds, pleaded in extenuation of the offence that they were short of food, which prompted them to disobey the law. Mr. Paterson would not accept the excuse and fined both men £15 each with costs.