DRIVING STOCK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 December 1942, Page 2

DRIVING STOCK

ON OTHER THAN SPECIFIED ROUTE. A CONVICTION ENTERED. “It has cleared the air, anyway,” observed Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., in the Masterton Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon when entering a conviction with costs against E. W. McGruddy, 18, on a charge of . having driven cattle on a road in the borough of Masterton which was not a stock route. The case, which was adjourned from previous court sessions, involved a lengthy hearing. Mr J. Macfarlane Laing appeared for the defendant. Mr H. Mackenzie Douglas, who appeared for the Masterton Borough Council, said that Councillor W. Kemp had seen stock being driven down Short Street on October 7. He told the youth driving the cattle to turn back and follow the stock route but (he youth used bad language to him. The youth started to turn back but his father- drove up in a car and apparently ordered him to continue along Short Street. Evidence was given for the Borough Council by Messrs G. T. O’Hara Smith (Town Clerk) and J. W. Henderson (ranger) regarding the stock routes in the Borough. The defendant, E. W. McGruddy, was severely censured by Mr Lawry for using bad language to his elder, Councillor Kemp. Mr Lawry said that a youth had no right to use such language to a man and had a charge of using indecent language been brought against McGruddy he would have had pleasure in fining him. After hearing further evidence Mr Lawry said that Councillor Kemp should have revealed his identity to the defendant as any ordinary citizen would. He thought that a conviction with costs would meet the case.