POACHERS CAUGHT SPEARING TROUT

Taupo Times, Volume III, Issue 114, 2 April 1954, Page 1

POACHERS CAUGHT SPEARING TROUT

MAGISTRATE TAKES SERIOUS VIEW At the Magistrate's Court, Taupo, on Friday March 26, Mr W. A. Hariow, S.M., in convicting Rore Kakahi, Henare Reihana and Peter Northcroft, on charges arising from the spearing of trout on October 18, 1953, said that the Court must take a serious view of sueh cases. The present case was a grave one in that children had been taken on the expedition. It was particularly bad when Maoris were engaged in poaching for the tribe received royalties in respect of the fishing and by poaching they were injuring their own people. Fines wer inflicted totalling £67/10/-, with costs £8. Mr S. A. McNamara, Conservator of Wild Life, prosecuted. Peter Northcroft appeared and pleaded guilty. There was no appearance of Kakahi and Reihana. In opening, Mr McNamara said he considered that the cases were the most serious fishery offences brought before His Worship since he had been sitting on the Bench at Taupo. Caught in the Act Evidence was given by Mr P. J. Burstall, Ranger for the Internal Affairs Department, stationed at Turangi, who stated that he was in the neighbourhood of the upper waters of the Tokaanu Stream when he observed three men and three children whom he watched through binoculars from a distance of several hundred yards. He saw that they were poaching, and were working the stream in two places. He saw Reihana kill a fish on the bank, and saw Kakahi put a fish in a bag, one of two slung on his horse. He could not approach closer without risk of being seen. He placed a block across the track the men would have to return by. About 11.30 a.m. two Maori youths approached with what appeared to be lunch for the poaching party and saw him. He ordered them to go back. Later he saw one of them going in a direction which made him think he was intending to warn the poachers. Thereupon he decided to risk being seen and proceeded towards the poachers, through swamp, blackberries and the stream, and got within twenty yards of Northcroft and Reihana and rushed them. They had a long handled fork and there were a number of fish on the Dank. They had removed their boots and their feet were wet. Witness produced two forks used by the poachers. Northcroft admitted spearing fish, gave his name and was co-op-erative. Reihana gave his name falsely as Charlie How, but was correctly identified later. "Ask Me Again" Kakahi approached on a horse, with two bags which were wet and appeared to contain fish. He turned and rode off , returning later ! without the bags. He stopped five • yards away and when asked for his 1 name replied "I got no fish." He then said, "Ask me again some other time but not today," and rode off, refusing to stop when ordered. Reihana and Kakahi were seen later and admitted that they were the men concerned. All defendants were convicted and fined on charges as follows: — Rore Kakahi, having trout in his possession in closed seasom, £18,

costs £1; refusing to give name, £6 costs £1; obstructing ranger, £1, costs £1. Henry Reihana, taking trout in closed season, £15, costs, £1; taking fish in an unsportsmanlike manner, £6, costs £1; refusing to give real nam,e, £8/10/-, costs £1. Peter Northcroft, taking trout in closed season, £8, costs £1; taking trout in an unsportsmanlike manner, £5, costs £1.