GREY DUCK SALES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23131, 1 September 1938, Page 12

GREY DUCK SALES

MARKED "DEAD RABBm

ACCLIMATISATION CA§

FORMER SOCIETIY OEPICIjs

SUBSTANTIAL PENAI^

[BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS association ■ BLENHEIM, Fines, costs and fees totalling nea £69 were imposed by Mr. T. E. Jfj-, sell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Co this morning upon Robert Henry Icy, of Blenheim, woodsawyer Walter Frederick Millard, of lands, farm manager, who p l guilty to three charges of selling nati grey duck to Wellington Both accused are former officials of tl Marlborough Acclimatisation' Society Gridley being immediate past president and honorary ranger, and Millard past member of the council lionorary ranger.

The proceedings were taken u n( ] the Animal Protection and Game by the acclimatisation society's ran&. and concerned the despatch of case containing duck and marked "dead rabbits" from the Blenheim station on May 7 and 24. Millard *ar charged with selling duck to Thomas "/oltman, a Wellington hotelkeeper, 0 | Jav 7 and 24 and to Sidney ai other Wellington hotelkeeper, Miy 7. There were identical cote, Gridley.

IT'e1 T 'e fines imposed on Gridfe aiiioirited to £3O with costs £7 V and Oi Millard £25 with costs £6.

Maximum Fine Urged

Mr. A. a. McNab, for the acclimati. sation s&iotv, stressed the seriously of the offences, particularly in vies- oi the fact tint the accused had both held prominent offices in the. society, and had stained vhe integrity of its adminis. tration, The offences were also viewej seriously because the sales had beea n a commercial basis.

It would be appreciated that offence ma of this kind wero particularly difficult l|f to detect and obtaining proof had ia- |ji§ volved inquiries extending over a long B period. People were very reluctant to gp give information regarding such of- llf fences. Sums totalling £l2 8s 9d had iff been received from sales of duck. Tia K1 maximum penalty of £25 on each ll charge was asked for. | Mr. Maunsell: You ask for £"5? §|| Mr. McNab: Without hesitation, Bp Thought Offence Not Serious ill Continuing Mr. McNab said it waj B Gridlev who negotiated the sales. He |||j was fully cognisant of what* he wa F; doing. He had been in charge of the a£- Zfd ministration of the Act in the district 11 and knew the efforts being made a stop the practice. He was not entitled §f| to any consideration whatever. j|| Counsel for the accused, Mr. A. M. Sgi Gascoigne, pointed out that it was tie If first ]>rosecution luider the Act in this If district for a great many years. The S accused Millard knew the sale of native n| duck was illegal, but the restrictions ■ had not been enforced for a very- lonj, ™ time past. Accordingly hen believed thV~«3 offence was not looked upon seriously. Mr. Maunsell:, Why, then, did is mark the cases "dead rabbits"? i