ILLEGAL OYSTER PICKING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3783, 14 September 1926, Page 37

ILLEGAL OYSTER PICKING.

AN OLD MAN FINED. CONFISCATION OF BOAT. AUCKLAND, September 10. “They have probably made a nice profit out of it,” said Mr V. N. Hubble in the Police Court when Phillip Brady was charged with picking oysters at Tamaki. Accused pleaded guilty, but said he did not know he was doing wrong in picking mud oysters. Mr Hubble, on behalf of the Marine Department, said accused lived with his nephew Walker for some time. He had been buying a few sacks from the Government depot and selling a quantity largely in excess of that bought by him. Apparently he went out with Walker in a boat believed to be owned by the latter to pick oysters from the rocks. A watch had been set, but the inspector could not catch Walker, who was believed to be behind the business. Accuse! had been caught when the inspector went round by land in a motor car. When intercepted he had half a sack and a kerosene tin of oysters, and when his home was visited a pile of shells equal to about 35 sacks was found. Only about 15 sacks were this year’s shells, so that the offence had apparently been continued for a long time. Mr Hubble asked that the boat, which was worth £4 or £5, should be confiscated so as to reach Walker. Accused, an old-age pensioner, was fined £5, and the Magistrate, Mr F. K. Hunt, ordered the boat to be confiscated.