SHOOTING ON ROAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21324, 27 October 1932, Page 14

SHOOTING ON ROAD

YOUNG MEN PROSECUTED TELEGRAPH LINE DAMAGED [by telegraph—own correspondent] WHANGAREI, Wednesday Three young men, Noel Dahl, Desmond Parry North and George Dreadon Simpkin were each' charged in the Magistrate's Court to-day with wilfully shooting down a telegraph wire and damaging insulators at Maungakaramca to the value of 19s lOd, the property of the Government, and also with discharging firearms 011 a public road. They pleaded not guilty to the first charge and guilty to the •second charge. Constable Beasley, in evidence, said ho took statements from the accused in which they admitted shooting at fencing posts and other objects while on the road, but denied firing at a telegraph wire. "I think the damage was dono by one of-those men accidentally and it is not altogether a trivial matter," said the magistrate, Mr. G. N. Morris. "I have had about 20 juvenilep before me in my district on similar offences, and when I find adults before me the matter becomes serious. I cannot be sure which oiio actually did this damage,, and 1 am prepared to dismiss the first charge on payment of the damage, 19s lOd and costs, £1 6,s 9d. On the second charge accused will be fined 10s each with costs."