CHARGE DISMISSED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 8

CHARGE DISMISSED.

ALLEGED OBSTRUCTION OF RANGER. PECULIAR NORTHERN CASE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, this day. The case in which the Whangarei Acclimatisation Society proceeded against William Hilton and George Holster for allegedly obstructing a ranger by galloping away when asked to show their bags has been decided. After the Court sitting, Mr. L. A. Johnson, counsel for defendants, was given leave to submit further legal argument. Hβ quoted the Invercargill case of Friend v. Gutzewitz, 1907, in which a sportsman danced round the ranger and then fled. Mr. J. F. S. Briggs, solicitor for the society, submitted his reply. The magistrate, Mr. G. N. Morris, quoted the definitions of the word "obstruct" as given in Webster's Dictionary, and said that in view of the minimum fine being so heavy he could only rely on the judgment quoted by Mr. Johnson in which the complaint was dismissed. Mr. Morris drew an analogy with the Motor Vehicles Act, which made special provision,for failure to stop. The charges against Holster and Hilton were dismissed without costs. During the proceedings Mr. Briggs stated that unless the word "obstruct" covered running away from a ranger after questioning it would be impossible | to administer the law. On his application security for appeal was fixed at j £10 10/.