UNCHECKED BLACKBERRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 335, 21 April 1928, Page 11

UNCHECKED BLACKBERRY

DISREGARDED WARNING LANDHOLDER FINED (From Our Own Correspondent) THAMES, Friday. A fine of £lO for faiiling to make reasonable efforts to check the spread of blackberry on his land at Hikuai, was imposed upon C. J. Winder by Mr. F. W. Platts in the Thames Police Court to-day.. Mr. H. R. Denzie, stock inspector, prosecuted on behalf of the Department of Agriculture. Mr. Denzie said Winder owned 186 acres of land at Hikuai and an area of 124 acres was heavily overgrown with blackberry, which was seriously menacing .the holdings of district soldier settlers, who were working hard to combat the danger. Defendant had been convicted and fined in June last, but had ignored the warning then administered. Recently settlers had made strong representations to the Minister of Public Works to compel defendant to forfeit his holding if noxious weeds were not removed. Winder was reputed to be an extremely wealthy man. ‘lt is one of the worst cases I have ever had to deal with," concluded Mr. Denize. Mr. Bryan, for Winder, contended that the latter had met with difficulties in leasing the land, and had made a reasonable effort to clear it of weeds. The magistrate said a nominal fine only had been inflicted on Winder a year ago on a promise of compliance with the law. This clearly had been ignored. Defendant would be fined £lO and costs. If he appeared in Court again on a similar charge the penalty would be severe. H. H. Adams, A. E. Stevens and G. Cribb were given three months in which to clear sections in terms of the order of the denartment.. COME TO SYMONDS STREET ON TUESDAY.