ILLEGAL OPOSSUM TRAPPING

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1929, Page 11

ILLEGAL OPOSSUM TRAPPING

WELLINGTON MEN FINED HO. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, July 6. A reserved decision was given by Mr. E. Page, S.M., in tho case of Jack Horgan, George Linton and lan Mackay, three men charged with unlawfully being in possession of opossum skins and using poison for taking or killing opossums during closed season. He said where men were found deep in the bush travelling along a lino upon which poison has been laid and gathering fruits of the illicit poisoning and having in their possession a tin containing the material used in i oisoning he thought the proper inference to be drawn was that they were parties to the unlawful poisoning and the explanation given by them was not adequate to displace this influence. With regard to Mackay, all the facts pointed to the strong probability that, even if Mackay himself did not handle them, ho was a party to and abetted the taking of the skins. There was, however, just an element of doubt as to the part played by Mackay in these illicit operations, and he must be given the benefit of doubt. The charges against Mackay were therefore dismissed. Linton and Horgan were each fined £2O and costs (counsel’s fee £5 ss) on tho first charge and ordered to pay costs on the other charges.

The men explained that they were shooting pigs and found the dead opossums. Mackay was the taxi driver who took them out.