R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3436, 15 February 1890, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

MSTERTON-FRIDAY. (before Colonel Roberts, R,M.) Babbit Offences, J. Drummond v J. C. Andrew, Breach of Babbit Act, Defendant said if the Court would inflict a minimum penalty be would plead guilty. Inspector Drummond said ho would call ovidence and leave the penalty to the Court, The Court: Do you plead guilty or not guilty ? Mr Andrew; Not guilty pro forma, Mr dmith stated that by instructions from Mr Drummond be visited the property of Mr Andrew on 7th January. Found the rabbits very numerous, and saw thai on tbo portion ho visited no stops had been taken to destroy the rabbits, Visited tbo place again on the 28rd, and found the rabbits again very numerous but on a differeut portion of the land, Paid a third visit to a different part of the property on the 25th, and found the rabbits numerous there. Knew only of two men omployed destroying rabbits on the property. The rabbits were increased in numbers on the 23rd and 25th.

Mr Andrew; Were you not out property sinco tbe 25tb, Mr Smith; I passed through it,

Mr Andrew;' Where did you enter

Mr Smith: I was on the property at the Stony Range on the fith of this mouth, and travelled through five miles of the property. Mr Andrew; Did you see..any

rabbits ? . Mr Smith : Yes. Mr Andrew: Didyousee anything done to destroy tbo rabbits ? Mr Smith; I saw a few poisoned apples spread abaut. Mr Andrew; Why did you no* state this in your evidence ? Mr .Smith: .My evidence onlj attended over the 25th of January,

Mr Andrew;. Then there is .no evidence before the Court to prove that since the 25th of January the whole of the rabbits on my property have not been destroyed, Mr Andrew: Did you Bee no men at work on my property on the 6th? Mr Smith; No,

Mr Andrew: Were you ou official business on my land on the sth? Mr Smith; No.. Mr Andrew | Thou you were'bspassing? . Mr Smith; Not oxaotly. .Did not see any plough furrows oh my way to the riyer. but saw.some poison in an enclosure. Had not b?en officially on the land to inspect it since the ; 2stli. Mr Andrew: Not officially? Mr Smith: Tarn always oil duty. Mr Andrew: Then if you are ■asleep'in my house yon are on duty. Did you see any Btoats, weasels, ferrets, hawlfs, cats, or anytbing else? . ' ■'■ ' v ". --'. Ml Smith: No,

-.; A deal of other cross-examining took place, wbioh was Bimilar to that abuve given. Inspector DnimmonJ, sworn, stated that lie had not visited the land for some time. On the evidence and report of the last witness, he was convinced that there were rabbits on the property; that sufficient steps were not, boing taken for their deatructiofyandhowasnotthorefore, satisfied.

> Mr Andrew: You swear tbat you are of opinion that ibera are rabbits on the property by the evidence anil reports of the last witness, Mr DruniKond : Yes, • - Mr Andrew: You have no report later than the 25th. ■ Mr Drnnimond: So, but I have grounds to believe there were rabbits on tho property on the 6th of February, Mr Andrew: You expressed an opinion that no steps have been taken since the Bth of February because of a report you received on the 25th of January? Mr Druminond: Yes. Mr Andrew; What proof have you time I have not taken sufficient steps ? Mr Druminond; By the evidence already given;■Mr Andrew: Do you know tbat stoats and weasels have been turned out on my property ? Mr Drummond: Yes. Mr Andrews: Does the Act.permit you to express an opinion in Court as to rabbits bring on ft property? Mr Drummond: Ibolieve so. Mr Andrew: Haw you heard of my turning any ferrets out on my property?' Mr Drummond; I have, and hope they are still alive, Mr Andrew: Do you know of any laits for rabbits being laid on. my propertyfiincothe2sth January? Mr Drummond; Ido not, • i Mr Andrew, in answer to tho ( oha'ge, stated that the information ( ' extended to the 10th of February, | but no evidence Mi given to prove , ' that rabbits were on bis property , since the 25th of January. He ] admitted that a minimum line might , bo inflicted, but at the same time ho | did not know that the Inspector was j justified in expressing an opinion, j Sinco the 25th of January be had , found out what • the Babbit Coin, missioners had said was a most , desirable thing, wbioh was a summer poison. The discovery bad first been made in New t-outh Wales, which was. the turning of a sod ofeaith and , the placing of, sliced summer apples dosed with arsenic. He bad used this extensively. Babbits did not die immediately on taking the arsenic. It usually took twelve hours, and be could not say if the rabbits died of inflammation of the stomach or conjestion of the bowels. He would show on evidence that be had used efficient steps to destroy the rabbits, H e did not consider the Inspector was right in expressing an opinion in the witness box. He was quite prepared to go into the wituess box and swear to what lie bad said, The Court expressed a desire to hear Mr Andrew 'on oath, and he was accordingly sworn. Ha bad turned out numbers of ferrets on bis property, but they bad not done much good as tbuy had been in an inferior condition when sold to him by tho Government. He was assisting also in the importation of a furthershipmeut of stoatsaud weasels. Since he had us o d the apple poison He h»d employed five men turning over the soil, which was an eifectivo cure, Ho admitted that there were far too many rabbit 3 on his property, but not so many as there were twelve months since. By the Bonch: I have bad two men employed since the last louviction, with packs of doge, lo do nothing else but destroy rabbits. Have also had four or five other men empkyed. Had growl smno forty or fifty acres of oats, wiieat, and pens within the property which was so much infested by rabbits. His Worßbip said that on the occasion of tho lust conviction ho had stated that oh any future occasion be would have to do more than inflict a minimum penalty. Mr Andrew: Every penny I pay in fines is so much less for the destruction of rabbits. The Court: I will have to inflict a lino of £lO and costs hut you can make on application for mitigation. An application for mitigation was accordingly made. SATURDAY,. NON'REGISTRATION Or CHILD,

J, Aitken v Patriok Salvin, Failing to register birth of child born in Masterton on April 11th, 1889. Defendant pleaded guilty, and a fine of Is and costs was imposed. OKDER FOlt PROTECTION. Annie Bontle'y v Thomas Bentley, Application for protection order. Sergeaut Price conducted an examination of the prosecutor, who stated that her husband was a carpontor, and that she bad five children, aged respectively IG, 12,10, 8, and 0, She bad been compelled for a number of years to support hersolf and family and of late her husband had beon habitually drunk, The application was granted.

Wellington Items

. Mr J. Coouibn, of organ fume, is busily engaged erecting a residence tor himself on his section at Roseueath. Mr Coombe is therefore the pioneer settler of the much talked about suburb, and if the buit bad not been withdrawn, would have been entitled to theprrmisedbonus, • Looking atthe Wellington of twelve months ago, and at thu Wellington of to-day, one cannot help noticing the changes that have taken place all round, even in so short a time. In the ciiy. proper, several substantial and handsome buildings have supplanted unsightly and dangerous wooden piles, Improvement! of importance have been carried out on and around the wharves and seaboard, while thu rapidly increasing suburban population shows that tlio Empire City is neither retrograding nor at a standstill, There is, of course, much to be done, particularly &B.regards sanitary arrangements, Just at present those unpleasant odours so perilous to health and safety are very noticeable, Probably the long spell of dry weather is in a measure to blame, and tbo much needed rain which must soon fall wjll refresh the land, and, at the same time, clean and sweeten many foul spots. Ruin is certainly needed, for the water in the reservoir is lower than it has been for a long time. The enemies of the electric light afe not forgetting to make the most of this fact, and go about shaking their heads and predicting grave,and awful things through scarcity of, water, which might have beeu averted, so they say, if the city had been content to gq op in the stylo of their fathers,

6;ii islied with the illumination supplied hy th"te Wellington Gas Comnariy. One old/ hoy-a .-day or so ago' said to in'!, "What'a the use of it, sir? People don't want to read newspapers in tho atreet' at, night, anyhow, I don't, and il doesn't give burglars or policemen any chance to distinguish themselves. When I first came to Wellington we had no lamps at nil I Wlmt do yon think of that ] No lumps at all, and we got on very nicely, very nicely inJeed." At last it really seems that the vexed cemetery question has been amicably settled, the Bite chosen being Karon. Satisfaction appears pretty general at this decision, and it in to l>e fervently hoped that no new difficulty will present itself in relation to this important matter.

Before lone; we may expect to sen something done in regard to the extension of the Government-lino to To £ro. For some lirao the question haß been shelved as it were, but now the agitators appear to be stirring again, Certainly a station at Te Aro would he a conveniens to a large section of the community, but.it cannot be looked at altogether ns-.a blessing 'l'hose who have visited Lyttelton know that, and to come nearer home, we have only to look at Palmerstoß North, wheie the railway running through the town is looked upon as a positive nuisance, spoiling as it does the appearance of one of the best and must thriving inland tnwns in the Colony, not to mention the danger tfliich must increase with the population. ■ Very pleasing indeed to tho gentle, men of the Committee must have linen ilie announcement of so larce a surplus (£450) from the Jubilee fund, The only troutilu now is what is the best way of spending it, not such an easy matter to settle as ono might fancy.

Speaking of tho Jubilee romiuds me of a little curio now " treasured with care "which accidentally fell into my bands. It is no other than a copy of a circular ißsuetl by the Postal Department in connection with the Jubilee. By its well-worn appearance .one would suppose that its original possessor carried it about and studied it to try and get at the hidden meaniug till bo could stand it no longer, so cast it from him in despair. Perhaps he even wept over it, fo:' it is spoiled and stained in places. Do they issue many circulars in that department 7 Are they all like this ? i'rom beginning to end it is incomprehensible and contradictory, but tho last clause is about as Hibernian as'anything I ever mot. It reads" officers arc expected to do all that U needful to miniumo the possibility of complaint, and prevent as Utile public inconvenience m possible,"

THE RAW FAIB. The Ram Fair under the auspices of tho Masterton A. and F, Association, held in Messrs Lowes and lorns sale yards was well attended, and the bidding for all sheep of good quality was spirited throughout, and prico were considered satisfactory. The averages being about a guineas. Mv Collins' rams, 2-tooth, brought au average of aix guineas. Mossrs Perry Bros., whose sheep are yearly increasing in publio favor, roalised 5 guineas. Mr Stuokey's, which are well grown and most vigorous sheep, reached an average of 8J guineis. Messrs Williams and Beetham's mostly aged rams, were of good quality, and mado 2| guineas. A 4-tooth ram, bred by Hon M. Holmes, sold for 12 guineas, The South Downs were eagorly competed for, and averaged 2J guineas. The Komneysof Mr Gray and Mr Allen brought £2 pounds. Tim total number of rams varded waß 750.