SOUTH OTAGO. BALCLUTHA DISTRICT NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20828, 21 September 1929, Page 20

SOUTH OTAGO. BALCLUTHA DISTRICT NEWS

(From Oub Own Coeeespondeitt.) BALCLUTHA, September 19. OPOSSUM PROSECUTIONS. At Owaka Court to-day, before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., R. P. Shaw (defended by Mr Alloo) was'charged on the information of the forest ranger (Mr R. Jansen), with illegally being in possession of opossum skine. There was a second charge of killing opossums out of season. Defendant pleaded guilty to the first charge and was fined £3, with 12s court costs. On the second charge he pleaded not guilty, and after the evidence for the defence had been heard the magistrate dismissed the case. —Hugh Calder (Mr Alloo) was similarly charged, and, pleading guilty to both charges; was fined £l, with 12s costs, on the first and fS, with IGs costs on the second. WANDERING STOCK. A number of charges of allowing stock to wander on the public roads was brought by R, Chittock, county ranger. M. Solomon wns convicted and fined 20s, with' costs (12s); A. Saul, fined 2s 6d (costs (2b); James M'Donald, fined Ss, costs (10s); W. J. M'Gimpsey, Owaka Valley, fined 20s, costs (12s); W. Laughton, fined 10s, with costs (12s). The court devoted a lot of time to the hearing of charges brought by the county ranger against Thomas 6186? of Ratanui, who defended himself with considerable ability, on three chargee of allowing cattle to wander on the public domain. On the first charge defendant was convicted and fined 20s, with court costs (15s), witexpenses (20s). On the second charge there was also a conviction, with a fine of 20e, costs (10s), while the third charge was withdrawn. TAKING TIMBER FROM CROWN LANDS. Herbert Roderique, fisherman, of Papatowai, was charged on the information of John M'Donald, commissioner of Crown lands, with removing timber from Crown lands, part of the foreshore at Papatowai. Mr R. S. Bremner, of Balclutha, appeared to prosecute on behalf of the department. There were three informations, and the first was amended to include the words adjoining' Crown lands. Defendant pleaded that he was six miles from a railway and unable to get coal, so that he had been in the habit of taking firewood from this part of the foreshore, and his right to do so had never been questioned before. Evidence having been .given by William Lawson and Carl T. Hayes, the magistrate convicted defendant on the first charge and ordered him to pay solicitor’s fee (£1 Is) and witnesses' expenses (£1 Ss). On the other two informations he was convicted and discharged. He was allowed o months in which to po.v, CIVIL CASE. .Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the case E. G. Dale v Falconer claim £6 10s 2d, with costs £1 12s fid. ’ LATE SNOWFALL, A pronounced drop in the temperature last night seemed to presage a change to bad weather of some sort. Earlv this morning snow fell heavilv, nndtho sur l i‘ l ll Werc EO ?P clothed in white. On the flats the snow did not li e long, and °f e ir 00n t* ,e i sun s hone brightly and the falling feathery flakes had been meneeded by light ram showers, with indiwest™ of clearing towards the south- ‘ THOUGHTLESS VISITORS. Considerable indignation has been aroused amongst residents of Kaka Point by the action of some visiting motorists in robbing the daffodil beds on the side of the road of their best blooms. These beds wore planted for the beautification of the Point, and not for the purpose of supplying individuals with flowers.