to. fy to 5 Terraie, which means a

delay of at least one hour. Vic- —

toria is expected to make a deci-
sion on the. Trans-Provincial pro-
. posal by the end of this month,

The city’has also sent a copy of »
their letter of support to the Air-.
port Advisory Committee for: fur- .

ther consideration.

: POACHING
CASES CROWD -
COURT LIST .

| Charges and convictions
under the Wildlife Act continue to
grow. A ‘decision will be handed

down in Terrace Provincial Court _

on May 21 following an incident
nearly a year ago in which Ter-
race resident James Webb was
charged with hunting wildlife

with the. aid of a light and with-

out reasonable caution for the
safety of others. Terrance Drake

Jr. and Richard Senft will appear

“PHOTOGRAPHY |

murray metcalfe

Phone today for ‘your |

in court June 8 to face similar

charges.
Earlier this month AB-year-old

Thomas Michael Barnes. of - ‘Ter-

race was sentenced to 14 days in
prison, placed on probation for
three months: and had a $250 rifle
seized for using. a firearm while
under suspension.’ Barnes. also

- faces a second five-year ‘suspen- -
sion of his hunting and firearm |
licence privileges.

Barnes's original hunting and
firearms suspension was handed

down by the deputy director of

the Wildlife Branch last. summer

_ following a June 3 conviction on a

charge of hunting with the aid of
an illuminating device. In addi-

- tion to the suspension, that con-

viction’ cost Barnes $800 and his
rifle. ;
The deputy director of the

Wildlife Branch advised Barnesin ©

mid-August of the automatic five-

year hunting licence suspension
and a_ discretionary five-year —

firearm licence suspension.
According to his lawyer, Doug

free consultation

Halfyard, Barnes | checked with
the local conservation officer and
was told he could own a firearm
while under . suspension but
couldn't fire it or carry it outside.

his place of residence.

Barnes bought a second: rifle,
and on Aug. 17, 1991, werlt.camp-__
ing near the. Lakelse. River with
his wife and some .. friends.
Barnes’s lawyer told judge. .PR..
Lawrence that Barnes did not

‘intend to go hunting, and from —

his own interpretation of the
firearms suspension he reasoned —
target shooting with a friend
would be allowed.

His lawyer argued that the
five-yéar suspension on the hunt-

. ing licence was automatic, but the

firearm licence suspension is
levied at the discretion of the.
deputy director of the Wildlife
Branch. From this it could be
interpreted that the main thrust
of the law was to control hunting,

‘not firearms. And Barnes wasn't

hunting.
Crown counsel Henry Waldock | —
pointed out the seriousness of the

offence, and while he admitted

penalties for. violations under the -
Wildlife Act are harsh, he said

they are not unnecessarily harsh

"because enforcement is very.
difficult”. -
"It’s something that’s done
away from people and it’s really a
matter of good faith,” Waldock —
said of the hunting regulatiGns. .
"The sentence is to ensure the
protection of wildlife is achieved. .
Therefore, the minimum penalties‘
are not excessively harsh.” _ .
_ Under the Wildlife Act, hunt- :
ing with the aid of an illuminat- 2
ing device, or pitlamping, carries

‘a minimum penalty of 14 days‘in

prison and/or a $1,000 fine, and a
maximum penalty of six months |
in prison and/or a $60,000 fine.

Do you want to support your com-
munity? Here's your chance! Big Broth-
ers and Big Sisters Affiliated is recruit-
ing new members. Regular meetings are
the third Monday of every month at 7:30
P.M. at 4660C Lakelse Avenue. For

635-9585 |

Terrace «Review - Aprit 24, 1992

more information, phone 636-4232,