ANGLER'S GEAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 12

ANGLER'S GEAR

BEQUEST FOR RETURN CONFISCATION BY RANGER " INDIGNITY TO VISITOR" RECENT CASE AT ROTORUA [nv TELEGRAPH —OWN CO It lUvSI'ONDK.NT] HASTINGS, Wednesday Arising nut of tho recent prosecution of Major Hornco Graham Kennedy, an Indian Army officer on furlough, in tho Court at Rotorua for fishing from a boat in forbidden water, a member of the Hawke's Bay Acclimatisation Society, Mr. A. Bobottom, has written to tho Department of Internal Affairs explaining tho nature of the offence and requesting tho return of Major Kennedy's fishing gear, which was confiscated although the Bench dismissed the charge in view of tho visitor's having broken tho regulation in ignorance. Members of the committee expressed themselves very strongly on tho matter at its meeting after hearing tho facts of tho incident as explained in Mr. Robottom's letter. The letter reads as follows, after an explanation of their position prior to tho tinio when the party was accosted by tho ranger:— "Our boat went back to fish the Delta when a storm came up, so we went into the river mouth. We decided to go up stream and fish what is known as Grace's Reach, and had no intention of fishing from the boat. We passed on tho way several peoplo fishing from boats, including Ranger Francis, who had with him Major Dawe. Accosted by Ranger " Shortly after Major Kennedy had started to fish Ranger Francis and his party appeared in their boat, Major Kennedy continuing to fish until the boat came alongside, which is conclusive that he was innocent of breaking the regulation. Ranger Francis confiscated our gear, as he said we had broken the regulation by fishing from tho boat. We apologised and said we would not have done so had we known we were breaking tho regulation, which we could not think we were doing when he and his friend were fishing from a boat about 250 yards louver down, and several parties were between us and him. He said they were within their rights, as they were below Dan's Creek. " Major Kennedy did not receive a copy of the regulations when ho procured his licence, but the writer had done so and there was no mention in it of the regulation, which tho ranger confronted us with, and this also was pointed out to him when he accosted us. Tho following day tho ranger produced his book of regulations in which the regulation wo were accused of breaking appeared on a gummed slip, showing that it had only come into force this season. "Gross Injustice" " I do earnestly appeal to you as Minister of the department to return Major Kennedy's gear to him, as ho is due to leave for home shortly, and to consider an amendment to the regulations which will prevent a genuine sportsman from the indignity and gross injustice of having his fishing gear confiscated where he commits a technical breach of the regulations through pure ignorance, duo mainly to lack of information from your department.? Members stated at the meeting that tho depot where Mr. Robottom procured his copy of the regulations had not been supplied with tho gummed slip addition, and thus Major Kennedy could never have ascertained tho regulations. The meeting was unanimous that tho confiscation of gear was a procedure that would not bring credit on New Zealand sporting arrangements. The secretary was instructed to write to the department also, requesting the return of both Major Kennedy's and Mr. Robottom's gear, and asking that depots selling licences should have additions sent to them immediately they come into force. A further recommendation was added that the department should post prominent signs in the area warning anglers that the waters they were entering could not legally be fished from a boat.