Turangi Man Spears Trout, Fined £20

Taupo Times, Volume VI, Issue 287, 8 August 1957, Page 5

Turangi Man Spears Trout, Fined £20

Fishing for trout with an unsportsmanlike device cost John Kapua, of Turangi, £20 and costs { £1, and another £1 costs for fishing withput a current fishing licence. A ranger found a spear concealed in soine scrub. Kapua appeared before Mr AY. A. Harlow, S.M., at Taupo Police Court. Alr P. J. BurstalJ represented the Internal Affairs Department. The prosecntor said it was a serious breacli, in that children were pr|sent, and it appeared to have been a family affair. On May 19 the ranger, Mr T. P. Fisher, at Turangi was rangiug the areg oi the Tokaanu stream. He heard voices coming from the direction of the water, and biri in some manuka. PITCHFORK 15ft LONG A party of eiglit, including six children, were going toward the stream. Oue of tliem was Kapua. He removcd his trousers, went jnto the stream, and hegan to spear tisli. A juvenile joined- him in spear-fishing. "After ahout an hour the party packed up and hegan to leave," Alr Burstall said. "Alr Fisher approached tliem and stopped tliem on the way out. He asked Kapua for tlie fisli, and he sang out to the children to bring the fish along. Seven fish were produced ; they showed spear-marks "The spear was about 15ft long, a four-[>roiiged pitchfork. The spear wasn't brought up the track by Kapua, but was concealed in the scrub previously, and after being used was hidden again in the scrub. Alr Fisher couldn't find tlie seeond spear." AIi' Burstall took names and addresses of the adults and oue of tlie juveniles. Kapua had been coilvieted previously for a similar offence during the closed season in 1951 in tlie AATaiotapu stream. He did not have a licence. A1ANY MOUTHS TO FEED Alr J. D. L. Coi'ry, who appeared for Kapua, said Kapua denied he had used a pitchfork. II e had speared only two fish. "I asked tlie defendant about it, and he said he had a large family and a lot of mouths to feed. I siiggest that this offence is not so had for a Mauri as for a pakeha." Alr HarlOw : I niight agree with you if it was the lirst offence, but .I'm afraid I cannot. He has been already fined £10 for that sort of thing, but it wasn't enough apparently. "No, Alr Kapua; giving the matter the best eonsideration, it looks as if you will have to be really stung, to stop you from spearing trout. This tirne you will have to pay a fine of £20, and costs £1. "Kememher, the Alaoris of Taupo get a very large part of the fishing revenue, and you would come in for your •share of that. I don't like fining you, but the £10 fine did no good, so it has to be doubled, otherwise you would do it again next winter."