A TROUT-FISHING CASE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 475, 6 April 1909, Page 4

A TROUT-FISHING CASE.

(BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL COMtESrONDBNTJ Christchurch, April 5. Mr. Ritchie, solicitor for tho Acclimatisation Society, told the magistrate this morning, at Kaiapoi, in a case m which a man was charged with using a landing net, in placo of a rod line and fly, for catching trout in tho Flnxton main drain, that the evidence would bo to tho effect that defendant, instead of doing his fly-fishing in) stream, wan wading down stream, poking fish out of tho ■sides and weeds, ai:d trying to got them into a landing net. A ranger said that ho and another ranger ho was with, watching tho drain, saw defendant with his rod folded poking the weeds with it, trying to catch the fish in a landing net. Ho had newly-caught trout, one of which was alive, in liis basket. Tho second ranger said walking down stream was not the way to catch fish with tho fly. Defendant said ho had fished up stream, and' caught fourteen, of which he nut fivo back us under siseo. Coming down the stream ho thought it a likely place to get somo nico ee!s, and ho was using the net for that purpose. The magistrate said ho would givo defendant tho benefit of the doubt, but "the use of the not, even for taking eels, was illegal, and if persons did things of that kind it must lay them open to susnicion. Defendant: " Can Tgot my expenses?' r The magistrate: " No, you are fortunate in getting off aa you have done."