PROTECTED BIRDS SHOT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 14

PROTECTED BIRDS SHOT

FINE OF £l2 10S IMPOSED CASE HEARD AT WHANGAREI [by TKIjEGItAPIt—OWN COIIHKSPONDENT] WIIANGAREI, Monday "These offences nre hard to detect, and 1 ask for a substantial penalty as a warning to others," said SeniorSergeant F. Finch at the Police Court to-day, when Robert Edgar MeCrea, company manager, of Auckland, was charged with being illegally in possession of protected birds, namely, one teal cluok, three skinned pukekos, and four native pigeons. Ho was further charged with killing the birds at Fern Flats, and aho with taking or killing native game in a close season. Senior-Sergeant Finch said that defendant went in company with others to Fern Flats for a holiday. Ho was seen going into a paddock and firing a shot, and as it was a closed season some people near by suspected ho was shooting game and communicated with the police. Defendant had loft the locality, but was stopped in his car at Whnngarei. When questioned he denied the oflonce, but when his ear was searched the birds were found. ".Defendant lias an Acclimatisation Society licenco and ho should have j known what ho could shoot, and even if it had not been a closed season at Fern Flats he was not entitled to shoot protected birds," said SeniorSergeant Finch. The magistrate, Mr. G. N. Morris, said defendant had written to the Court pleading guilty, but did not offer any excuse for his actions. "This is a man who ought, to know the regulations, and Irom the bag in his possession the offence seems to have been deliberate," continued Mr. Morris. "He mentions in his letter the confiscation of his rifle, but that is a matter for the police and the Minister. He will bo convicted and fined £l2 10s And costs, 18s, on the third charge, and convicted and discharged on the other two charges."