Man Of German Descent In Defence Area
[Per Press Association.—Copyright.]
WELLINGTON, This Day. A man of German descent, Rudolph Hirter, aged 48, a wharf labourer, who has been all his life in New Zealand, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court today with trespass without permission on a defence area. The police said that Hirter, with a powerful pair of binoculars in his possession, was found hiding in some bushes. Hirter admitted that he saw signs prohibiting his entry and ignored them. Counsel said it was a case of carelessness and not a deliberate offence. Hirter was below the brow of a hill and was not in a position to see or observe gun emplacements.
Light Punishment
As far as ships were concerned, Hirter was on the wharf every day, and had no need to scale hills to see what was going on. Actually Hirter was looking for bottles, and was in the habit of carrying binoculars with him.
The magistrate (Mr. J. L. Stout) said that not so long ago another man got 14 days’ imprisonment for the same offence. That had not been a sufficient deterrent. He imposed sentence of 21 days’ imprisonment with hard labour.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19410526.2.84
Bibliographic details
Northern Advocate, 26 May 1941, Page 6
Word Count
197Man Of German Descent In Defence Area Northern Advocate, 26 May 1941, Page 6
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