TEMUKA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 28 April 1926, Page 10

TEMUKA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) , MAGISTRATE’S COURT. Mr E. D. Mosley. S.M., preskied over the fortnightly sitting ol' the Magistrate's Court yesterday. NO LIGHTS. | George Ivay and Desmond Johnston ’were each convicted and fined 10s and costs for riding a bicycle at night without- a light. ■SPEEDING. T. H. E. AUSvienmni (North Anck- | land) was charged with . driving a i motor car over the intersection of { King Street and High Streets at a j speed dangerous to the public. He did not appear. Constable Southworth estimated the speed at fill miles an hour. The intersection was a dangerous one, but j fortunately there was no traffic, about I at the time. Sergeant Dv.au said | that there was one witness who was I prepared ’ to corroborate the evidence j of the eonstable. I The -Magistrate .said that motorists i who drove through towns like Teniuka i should slow down to a reasonable | speed. Defendant would he convicted j and fined Cl and costs, 17s. i LICE-INFESTED SHEEP, j On Hie information of Walter Scott, I Stock Inspector, Stanley .). Parke was charged with having exposed lieeintested iheep I'oi- sale in the Teniuka. saloyards. He pleaded guilty. Walter Seott, Stock Inspector, said that he found 3d ewes infested with lice ill a pen at the Teniuka sale. Defendant slated that lie. had just started farming, and lie was ignorant of the fact that the sheep were in that condition. He had had very little experience wit!) sheep. .Defendant was convicted and fined 10s , and costs, los. * ’ NOXIOUS WEEDS. On the inforniation of the Inspector of Noxious Weeds. Joseph Leonard was charged with failing to clear California thistle from his land. He pleaded guilty. Waller Scott stated that the usual notice had been sent out, and the assistant inspector had interviewed defendant, and was told that action would he taken. Defendant replied : “Just go ahead.” W. R»y, assistant inspector, enumerated the dates when notices had been sent to the defendant, and also when and where life interview took place. Defendant told witness that lie was ‘‘going through,” and that he could do nothing. The defendant stated that at the time of the interview lie had filed. Tile first notice came in December last, but the thistles were not ready to cut until January or February. i

I The Magistrate said that the Act ! said that tliist es should be cut when | the notice was served. | Defendant said that if that were j so, it would mean cutting several | times during the season, j In answer to the Magistrate, | defendant said that lie had vacated the ' property in question. The Magistrate, to Inspector Scott: “Probably the Official Assigne would object to having the defendant on the place.” Defendant slated that lie had acted for the Official Assigne last week, and removed 17 head of cattle from the place. The Magistrate: “Then the Official Assignee would probably let you cut the thistles on his behalf.” Defendant was like many others; he treated the notice very lightly, and put off doing the job, hut probably a heavy fine . would wake them up. However, in i this ease, there was not much to gain by imposing a penalty, so defendant . would he convicted and discharged. i Dennis E. Lane was similarly j charged, and pleaded guilty. ! Walter Scott said that an attempt had been made to clear the land, but , there was still a lot of thistle ill bloom. ' j .Defendant said that the .section was ; situated 13 miles from town, and was overgrown with rushes and thistles. He simply c-ould . not keep it down. He could not get anyone to stay on the place and cut it, and he could not get a buyer. Mr Seott admitted that the land was very rough. Defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs. i John Mil ten was similarly charged, i and pleaded not guilty. j Walter Seott gave similar evidence . in this eas'-. Defendant said that his section adjoined that of the previous defendant, and a 24 aero block was overrun with tlie thistle The rest of the property was (lean. He had done his best this year to keep it down, a.nd iiad employed two men for several days, and the rough nature of the ground hud ruined the mower. j The Magistrate sa.id that fanners had their own remedy. If it was impossible to eradicate the thistle, then, in their own interests, they . should get together and appinaeh the C'onntv Council to have the words “California thistle” removed from the Noxious Weeds Act. In certain parts ; of Otago and Southland this had been ! done, and there was one farm in which I he was interested where they thought ] the thistles were a blessing in disguise. I Defndant was convietd and ordered j to pay costs. j J. J. Nolan, who was similarly charged, pleaded guilty, and stated that he had been on the property for six years, and this was the first season , that the thistles beat him. He had ; a heavy financial loss last year, ! owing to the flood, and he could not j afford to employ labour. Defendant was convicted and , ordered to pay costs. I