TRESPASSING SPORTSMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 153, 1 July 1931, Page 3

TRESPASSING SPORTSMEN.

DAIRY FARMERS CONCERNED. HORSE TRAINER FINED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Tuesday. "The case is of importance to dairy farmers, as it indicates their right to have herds undisturbed by unauthorised shooting on their property, even though sportsmen may have licenses," remarked Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., today, in giving judgment in a case in which Ronald White, farmer, of Taliuna, sued J. H. Wallace, horse trainer, of Te Aroha, for £5 damages for trespassing on his farm and shooting and removing a pheasant. Mr. L. Tompkin, for plaintiff, said really the action was one for poaching. A number of farmers at Tahuna objected to people shooting on their properties without permission. Some of them had suffered damage to their herds from indiscriminate firing notwithstanding advertisements on notice boards forbidding shooting. Sportsmen seemed to consider that shooting licenses j entitled them to shoot on private proj perty without permission. These proI ceedings, he said, were brought for the j purpose of making public the fact that j such action was trespass, for which sportsmen were liable. Defendant admitted he had shot a pheasant without permission, but he thought he was within his rights seeing he had a license. In giving judgment, the- magistrate said he considered something more than purely nominal damages should be allowed, as it was of importance to dairy farmers that their property rights should be respected, and their herds undisturbed. His Worship allowed 10/ damages, but full costs amounting to £3 5/, against defendant.