FISHING WITHOUT LICENSE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10896, 10 May 1921, Page 5

FISHING WITHOUT LICENSE

AN AMUSING LETTER. “CARRY YOUR LICENSE.” A very anSusing' letter came before the Oh-inemuri Acclimatisation Society the other evening, being a copy of one sent by Mr Cecil A. Whitney, of Auckland, to Mr E. S. Crisp, of Ngaruawahaa: — Your letter received re your fishing without having taken out a license. I was fined £1 and costs at Rotorula last week for not producing my £1 full-sea-son license, which I took out in September last to enable mo to fish in October. Seeing that I was fined for not carrying my license on me, I think you Had little chance of being let off because you took out a license, tlio d«y after you fished. I am afraid there are a number of persons who risk not taking out a license or omit to do so until they have fished, and, if caught, the constable or ranger has no option but tp record a conviction if possible. I had never before been asked to produce my license, which 1 have taken out regularly for over 25 years. Yes, you will assist the society eon siderably if you plead “guilty” and pay your fine; and then you can safety challenge any others you find doing the same thing. I can assure you, if oulr rivers are to be fully stocked, and poaching and illegal destruction stopped, the matter under reply is an important one, because the cost of obtaining a conviction is so expensive and demands so much time and patience. Aq far as I am concerned, I did not mind being fined in the least, because it shows others that they must carry their licenses with them. If each angler carries his or her license, it assists the rangers and police considerably, and saves considerable waste of time, which would otherwise be necessary to trace tile license.