“DAMAGED THE GARDEN”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17062, 21 September 1929, Page 5

“DAMAGED THE GARDEN”

HEN PHEASANT SHOT YOUNG MAN FINED £5 (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. “Unfortunately for this voting man be .'shot a pheasant practically under the window of Judge Ostler’s home in Remuera,” said Mr. West, who prosecuted J. Gould on behalf of the -Auckland Acclimatisation Society at the Police. Court for shooting in- the close season. His Honor, of course,; is a wellknown sportsman in sympathy-with the objects of the society. Gould, who was represented by Mr. Kealy, pleaded guilty to the charge. Mr. West said the offence committed Was a serious one, for it took place in tho city ut Remiierii. . “One! can hardly imagine this young man setting.'out deliberately to shoot a hen pheasant-in a place where these birds are, a delight to many people,” said Mr. West. “Sportsmen. feel keenly about the matter. , Even if pheasants were destroying gardens the defendant could have applied;to; the Acclimatisation Society, which would, if. the case demanded, have destroyed the bird. In this case I must ask for the maximum penalty of £10.” Mr. Kealy said the case, was not so black as Mr. West had made out-. Pheasants had been a source of annoyance in the garden of the defendant’s parents. “Early one morning,”' 'Said counsel, “some one passed the remark, ‘There goes the pheasant that is destroying tho garden/ On the spur of the moment, Gould got a gun and shot the bird. The offence was not irf Siiy /way premeditated, and there was no concealment.” Mr. Kealy thought that a light fine would meet the ease. Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., imposed a fine of £5 and costs, £2 12s. . -