HOUHOUS FOR BAIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18685, 15 April 1924, Page 10

HOUHOUS FOR BAIT.

MATAMATA ANGLER CAUGHT. ."."'; ■■'■■■' ' ■■~''. . . "■")' -.' "■ ■■: ■ iV.v.Or-H.' ; :.? .': A' PLEA OP IGNORANCE, [by TK,Eca«rSr.— cynr coßwsroraßNT.j MATAMATA. Monday; t ' At the Matamata Magistrate's - Court 'Samuel * Ttagu© was charged with [ fishing in the Waiomott Stream, at Tepoi, without a license, and also with fishing with illegal bait-houhous. Constable Heaps said he had been out frequently as a result of complaints. On February 27 he , saw Teague fishing and asked for his ' license. >; Defendant said he had left it at home, but _ later admitted that he did not possess one. He was not a fisherman and had borrowed the line.

Upon the line being drawn in* the illegal bait was found. The offence was a serious one, as could .be judged by the ifact that the Acclimatisation Society offered £20 to anyone who could secure a conviction. The accused had had a license six years ago. Mr. P.' W. Hutchison, who appeared for the accused, stated that, bis client was only a novice and knew nothing of the regulations. He suggested that the minimum fine would meet the ■. case.. ; The magistrate, Mr. J. H. Salmon, took a somewhat lenient view, stating that only one ignorant of the regulations would use houhous for bait. He imposed a fine of £2 on each charge. r - -