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False statement charges dismissed

Judge E. W. Unwin interrupted the proceedings of a defended hearing in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday after he had heard from just three prosecution witnesses.

A 25-year-old parks' assistant, Mark Ayre of Mt. Ruapehu Park Headquarters, was appearing on two charges of giving a false statement to the police. The statements made by Ayre were in connection with the live capture of deer from Tongariro National Park. After hearing from parks' assistant Bryce Curran, ranger Neville Jones and constable Michael Lockett, His Honour stated that he did not consider that a case had been established. "I cant see that this man can be found guilty of an offence," he told the prosecuting sergeant, Neil Coker. Curran had told the court that he had been on Mt. Ngauruhoe with other park officials on 1st January this

year, when they heard and briefly saw a helicopter. They then heard a cannon shot signalling that a net had been released from the 'chopper'. After 15 minutes the aircraft departed leading Curran to believe its occupants had been poaching deer. Neville Jones, a ranger stationed at Whakapapa told how he periodically flies around the park in his fixed wing plane. He received a report on lst January from Mr Curran but did not investigate the incident further. Defence counsel, Miss B. L. Monaghan, asked Mr Jones whether he had poached deer from the National Park about a year ago to which he replied that he had not poached deer but had caught and sold them with the profits going to the Department of Lands and Survey. He was then asked whether he had said that he would sell the deer and split the proceeds. Mr Jones emphatically replied, "No!" He added that he had been carrying out the policy of the National Parks to exterminate pests, in this case deer, by all possible means. "There is a market for deer in this country and profits of any capture made by parks' staff goes to the government," he concluded. Constable Michael Lockett told how he was approached in the Whakapapa continued on page 3

False statement charges dismissed

continued from page 1 Tavern on the evening of 12th January, by Mark Ayre, who told him that he knew of the capture of live deer in the National Park. Ayre told Constable Lockett that he had endeavoured to tell the chief ranger with no success. After three days of investigation, the constable was unable to find any evidence to support Ayre's allegations. He had spoken to Mr Curran who confirmed that a helicopter had been spotted on the 1st January but that they could not observe any markings to help identification. Constable Lockett checked six deer exclosures, which are areas fenced off to prevent deer entering, but could find no evidence that any animals had been held there. It was at this point that Judge Unwin suspended proceedings telling the constable that the testimony of all three witnesses pointed to the fact that a poaching offence happened on 1st January thereby confirming

Ayre's statement that live deer were being captured in the park. "It seems to me it happened. Is it not so that the police force relies on information — a lot of which is wrong?" Judge Unwin added, "I honestly think this matter has gone far enough." Previous witness Neville Jones then stood up saying that "there is malicious intent involved in this case." His Honour told him to sit down. After the charges had been dismissed, Miss Monaghan sought costs for her client which Judge Unwin set at $150. He concluded with the comment that he was very sorry it had gone this far. "In government departments there should be scrutiny from time to time. "People should be able to air their grievances." Since the charges were served to Ayre, he has been released from his position with the Parks' Board. After court had finished, Mark Ayre confirmed that the matter was now to be

handled by the N.Z. Workers' Industrial Workers' Union in Wellington and that now he had seen his name cleared in court, it was the union's task to clear his name with the Department of Lands and Survey which runs the Parks' Board. He added that since his dismissal, he had been living with his parents in Wellington and had been unable to find employment. Chief ranger, Bruce Jeffries said last Friday that as far as he was aware, Ayre had at no time approached him with his allegations. When questioned as to whether any of his staff had ever been warned for poaching he replied that, "In the six years I have been chief ranger, I have not been aware of any of my staff being involved with the poaching of live deer. "There has been absolutely no personal gain made by any of them," he added. "There is however a continual problem with hejicopters flying into the park and poaching deer. "Sometimes their activity is intense but it would take some incredible resources to catch them. "It is a case of whether the means justifies the end." According to Mr Jeffries, deer that have been captured, sell on the open market for anything from $800-$ 1,000 each.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIBUL19850528.2.4

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 1, 28 May 1985, Page 1

Word count
Tapeke kupu
875

False statement charges dismissed Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 1, 28 May 1985, Page 1

False statement charges dismissed Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 1, 28 May 1985, Page 1

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