MAN SHOT WILD TURKEYS

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28415, 23 October 1957, Page 7

MAN SHOT WILD TURKEYS

Charge Of Theft Dismissed

(New Zealand Press Association) GISBORNE. October 22.

It would be a pity if the game laws of England of a century ago came to New Zealand, said Mr E. L. Walton. S.M., in the Gisborne Magistrate’s Court today when dismissing a charge of stealing turkeys, valued at £2 15s. preferred against Ranana Tioke, a, farm hand, of Totangi station. The complainant, James Holdsworth, a farmer, of Puha, had claimed that the ancestors of the turkeys were the property of his ancestors, said the Magistrate. ‘‘l believe that the prosecution is quite wrong on ail points, and that the defendant is entitled to be acquitted of theft.” the Magistrate added.

Mr K. G. Scott appeared for Tioke. who pleaded not guilty. Sergeant T. Reid, prosecuting, said that Holdsworth was near the boundary of his station on August 18 and saw the defendant with three turkeys. Tioke offered to pay for the birds, but the complainant refused to agree, and took possession of Ahem.

When interviewed, the defendant told the police that he had often seen turkeys on the adjoining Totangi station, where he worked, and thought they were wild. He saw the three turkeys on Holdsworth’s property and shot them. They were five miles from the homestead.

Holdsworth said in evidence that a few years ago there were 200 turkeys on the property, but now they had dwindled to about 50. Mr Scott submitted it had been established clearly that these birds had reverted to their wild state and were anybody’s property.