SPORTSMEN'S LICENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 13

SPORTSMEN'S LICENCES.

QUESTION OF PRODUCTION.

NEW REQUIREMENTS SUGGESTED

"THE HOUR OF THE ISSUE."

The New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies' conference, Bitting in Wellington on Wednesday, moved in tho direction of narrowing down evasions of convictions for being unable to produce game licences by deleting the words "or after" following the clauso in the Animals Protection and Game Act, stipulating that tho licence should bo produced on demand.

Mr. C. A. Wilson (Otago), in moving tho remit dealing with the subject, said that they had had a case of a man who, because of the obnoxious words, was able to beat the officer to tho township and there purchase a licence, which he afterwards showed, saying it had been on the mantelpiece at home. That licence was the last in the seller's book.

Mr. E. J. C. Wiffen (Wellington) said that tho point seemed to have been missed that thero was a dato on the licence.

Mr. E. Russell (Southland) recalled a similar instance, but the person selling the licenco, though at first an attempt had been mado to shield the purchaser, had "climbed down," and a conviction had been secured.

Mr. C. A. Whitney (Auckland) said that he had been convicted for not producing his licence, though it was in his camp 200 yards away. No acclimatisation society would convict in such a case, but what had to be guarded against was a man who, shooting without a licence, was perhaps unknown in a town, and could go thfie and get ono and defeat a conviction.

Mr. F. E. MdKenzie (Auckland) suggested that the hour should be included as well as the date. In the big offices it was impossible to find out at what hour a licence had been purchased, though that would in such cases secure a conviction.

Mr. R. Hanning (Otago) asked why a ranger should be put to the trouble" of finding out afterwards if a man had a licenco. It was tho man's duty to carry it. Motorists were expected to carry licences.

Mr. McKenzie said that the remedy lay in the lands of the societies issuing the licences.

Tho president, Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp (Wellington), said that what'was done in Wellington was that if the man had not a licence when it was. demanded by rangers, he had afterwards to produce it or be prosecuted. In Rotorua many men had been prosecuted. One man, who had left his licence in Palmerston North, was passed by the ranger while he telegraphed for it, but a policeman who came along soon afterwards had him summoned and ho was fined £5. In the Suprome Court the Chief Justice had said he should not have been convicted, although the magistrate could technically do so. He suggested that the remit be withdrawn, as societies had power to draw out their licences in a form that would meet tho point. On the motion of Mr. Hannins. it was decided to include all licences, fishing as well as game. On his motion it was affirmed that the regulations of the Fisheries Act of 1908, and the Animals Protection and Game Act of 1921 and 1922 should be altered to provide that tbe hour of the issue of each licence be written on it, which was seconded by Mr Wilson and carried.