TROUT POACHING AT TADMOR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 20 December 1909, Page 2

TROUT POACHING AT TADMOR.

ANOTHER CONVICTION.

Tie adjourned -hearing in connection with the Tadmor trout poaching cases came on before Mr J. S. Evans, S.M., this morning, when

John Henry Davis OoUard, formerly of Kiwi, now of Wanganui, was charged with having, on 16th October, used an unsportsmanlike device, to with, a spear, for the purpose of taking a trout in the Xadmor river.

A second charge against CoUard was that he used an instrument, to wit a spear, not being an instrument allowed by law, for faking a trout in the Tadmor river.

The case was first before the Court on November 29th, when, a second defendant, Donald Logan, was convicted and fined in respect of the same offence. The evidence then given was co conflicting in; regar dto the use of a spear, that the Magistrate adjourned the case against Collard in order that additional evidence might be obtained in reference to the spear. This morning, Mr Fell, who appeared for the Acclimatisation Society, said that as Mr Hayes (for the defendant), had intimated that he was going to plead guilty, the witnesses had been instructed that they need not apear. If perjury had been committed, that could be looked into afterwards— it Sid not prevent the present case being dealt with. It wa* not a very eerious case of poaching. Mr Hayes admited the offence,- and said that he had had a letter from the defendants mother, in which it was admitted that the defendant had had a small toy fork. The defendant was fined £2, with £1 1<& costs -on the first charge. The second charge was withdrawn. ■ The Magistrate eaid that ihe police should make further inquiries regarding tie spear or fork. The evidence given at the former hearing in regard to the spear or fork was so conflicting that it was more than a mistake. Mr Fell said that the police had made all the inquiries they could, and had done ail posible short of laying an informatJ?n-, One P ars °n. now in Marlborough, who knew something about the matter, had absolutely refused to give the police any information.