Pilot, shooter convicted

Press, 5 July 1978, Page 2

Pilot, shooter convicted

The owner of the Hadlow Game Park at Timaru and a Queenstown pilot have been convicted on charges relating to the shooting of deer from a helicopter at Barrosa station, near Mt Somers, last September. Before Mr I. A. Hay, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court at Ashburton were Brian James Bas sett-Smith, of Timaru, and I Frank Robert Wright, aged 33. of Queenstown. Both defendants were represented by Mr M. R. D. Guest. Mr T. Geason prosecuted. Bassett-Smith pleaded not guilty to a charge of dis-

charging a firearm from an aircraft on private property. He was convicted and fined $lOO and was ordered to pay witnesses' expenses of $66, and a solicitor’s fee of $l2O. Wright pleaded not guilty to seven charges, six brought under the Civil Aviation Act and one under the Tresspass Act. He was convicted and fined $lOO and ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses of $22 on a charge of aiding BarrettSmith to discharge a firearm on private property from an aircraft. On a charge of recovering wild animals, namely deer, not in accordance with provisions of the Civil Aviation Act, he was convicted and fined $lOO. A fine of $lOO was also imposed for using an aircraft in flight to pick up deer carcases from the ground. For carrying out an aerial search for deer he was fined $lOO and ordered to pay witnesses’ expenses of $22, and a solicitor’s fee of $4O. On charges of flying an aircraft at a height lower than 500 feet and permitting a deer carcase to be dropped from an aircraft in flight he was convicted and discharged. A charge of shooting deer was withdrawn.