THE INSPECTOR of DEPASTURING LICENSES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 186, 31 August 1871, Page 5

THE INSPECTOR of DEPASTURING LICENSES.

(To tlie Editor.)

Sib, — What are the duties of the Inspector of Depasturing Licenses 1 This was the question I asked myself after being present at the Warden's Court, Waitahuna, on Friday, August 25th, and hearing the case Mackay v. Millar, in which the defendant was charged with depasturing cattle on the goldfields without a license. The defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined one shilling, costs of Court, and expenses, amounting in the whole to £3 12s. It is the expenses to which I particularly wish to direct your attention, as they were made up partly as follows, viz., two witnesses at£l each; witnesses of what, no witnesses appeared in the case ! Sometime after the case had been dealt with, and while the Warden was engaged in making out Millar's bill, he asked the Inspector if these witnesses had been summoned, and received a reply in the affirmative ; and in answer to some further remarks by the Warden, he said they helped to muster, and to— well, what else he said I could not understand. It seemed a difficult matter for him to explain about these witnesses who were summoned, and who received £1 each for their services, and yet were invisible. It would appear from this that he is at liberty to summon as many as he pleases, men or boys (if the latter belong to his own family, so much the better for him) who are to be paid by the unfortunate defendants, without their being required to attend the Court. I thought it was part of his duty to range the district, and hunt out any delinquents, but it appears I was mistaken, as he is enabled, under this system of summoning witnesses, whom nobody sees, to bring them to account. I should have liked very much to have heard Mr. Millar ask for a little more information on this point, as I consider myself it wants both explaining and exposing. — I am, &c, CD. Waitahuna.