POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16020, 11 September 1915, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

ILLEGAL OYSTER-PICKING. FOUR PERSONS , FINED. Several cases of oyster-picking were heard at the Police Court yesterday morning by Messrs. J. Routley and A. Rosser, J.P.'s. Henry Johnston (Mr. A. Moody) admitted taking oysters from Rakino Island, but formally pleaded not guilty to carrying a fowling-piece on his boat, which was licensed under the Fisheries Act, without having a permit. Mr. J. P. Ridings, Collector of Customs, said that the inspector of fisheries had found defendant picking oysters on August 18 at Rakino Island. He landed in a small dinghy from his fishing boat and in it the inspector found a doublebarrelled gun which was loaded. He had to have permission from the Customs Department to carry the gun, but this had not been obtained. Oysters had been picked in a rather wholesale manner from he island, and as defendant had a bag m his possession he apparently intended to take a fair number. The fine was £4, and Mr.'F. V. Frazer, S.M., had stated that he intended to increase it to £5. The Bench convicted accused and fined him £3 for picking oysters and £1 for having firearms on the boat. A boy, 14 years of age, who was found picking oysters at Motutapu, was fined £1. ' Adam Nixon admitted that he had picked oysters from the same island. Mr. Ridings said that defendant was engineer on the Ferry Company's steamer Hawaii, and on August 22 there was an excursion to Motutapu by this vessel. The- accused was later seen ' picking oysters. The defendant stated that he intended to go deer-stalking,' but gave his gun to another man on reaching the island. Later he was assisting the chief officer to put some driftwood on to the beach when he discovered a mug and a file. He then thought he would have a few oysters. The Bench imposed a fine of £2 and costs. Walter York, chief officer of the Ferry Company's steamer Kawau, was similarly dealt with for interfering with the oysters at Motutapu. James Patrick Nixon (Mr. Hall Skelton) pleaded guilty to picking oysters at Islington Bay. Counsel asked for leniency as defendant was not in very good circumstances, and had a large family to maintain. The Bench fined him £1 and costs. , . % I MISCELLANEOUS CASES.

Three first offenders for drunkenness were each fined ss, in default 24 hours' imprisonment. Join David Speight was convicted on a charge of drunkenness and fined £1 for committing a nuisance in a public place. Thomas Little, who was found by night without lawful excuse in an emptiy house in Liverpool Street, was charged with vagrancy. The Bench imposed a sentence of 14 days' imprisonment. A middle-aged woman named Lucie Mackie pleaded guilty before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., to charges of drunkenness and breaking her prohibition order. The defendant admitted that she had been convicted for committing similar offences a few days ago. Defendant was convicted on the charge of drunkenness, and fined £2 for breaking the order. A charge of failing to comply with a maintenance order in respect of his wife was preferred against Percival Kellaway, who was convicted and sentenced to two months' imprisonment, the order to be suspended so long as he paid £1 per week maintenance, and 5s per week off the arrears.