NOT FOR FIREWOOD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 12 June 1928, Page 9

NOT FOR FIREWOOD.

TREES IN DIVES AVENUE

WARNING IN POLICE COURT.

William Dewar, residing in Dives Avenue, who on the evening of May 24, wa : s seen cutting a limb from one of the Avenue pines, pleaded guilty before Mr. K. W. Tate, IS.'M., in the Rawer a. ’Court to-day to -the charge of causing wilful damage to public-pro-perty to the extent of '2/6 and adinitted tliroiugfa Jiis Counsel (JVCr. 'G-. J. Bayley, that the branch had been intended for the family fire.

Sergeant Henry said a 'heavy penalty was not aslced for, but it whs desired that a warning should be issued against such damage to trees belonging to the public. ‘‘The practice has been going on for s'orne time, but this is the first offender to be detected in the act,” said the sergeant. That defendant had seen other people cutting limbs from the trees and thought he would be doing no harm in following suit was the explanation offered by Mr. Bayley. As the limb sawn was within a few feet of the street light there could be no suggestion that the action was ’Carried out in a clandestine manner., After being spoken to by a passerby ho Wad discontinued sawing and the limb was not taken away by him. The Magistrate: The penalty for this offence is three months’ Ward labour or a fine of £5, but I ain prepared to treat this ease as a Warning. Defendant was convicted without a fine, and was ordered to pay costs amounting to 10s. An application for suppression of defendant’s name was refused.