Oyster-loving Policeman Erred

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31542, 2 December 1967, Page 42

Oyster-loving Policeman Erred

(New Zealand Press Association)

WHANGAREI, December 1.

A police constable who said he was unaware he was committing an offence was fined a total of $4O, with $26 costs, in the Magistrate’s Court at Maungaturoto today, on charges involving rock oysters.

John Charles Rowe, of Wanganui, pleaded guilty to opening oysters on the rocks at Whakapirau and to taking them away. He told the court that only one member of the police force in Wanganui, an inspector, had known this was an offence.

Even his legal adviser had been unaware of the regulations, he said, asking to be discharged under section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act Declining, the Magistrate said the court could not confer any privilege because of the defendant’s calling. Ignorance of the law was no excue, and Rowe had helped himself to eight dozen oysters.

Sheep For China.—lncluded in the recent shipment of 250 Corriedale hoggets to China were two rams from E. K. Millar, of Killinchy. Mr Millar was not included in the list of vendors published when the sheep were shipped from Lyttelton.