Man fined $3000 for milling offence

FAILING to register the equipment used to mill native timber has cost a Wanganui man $3300 ? a lot less than the maximum fine of $200,000.
Peter Michael Knuth, a permanent part-time animal control officer with the Wanganui District Council, was sentenced in Wanganui District Court yesterday on a single charge of using an unregistered mill to mill indigenous timber.
The charge relates to inspections carried out by MAF's Indigenous Forestry Unit in March. Just under 10 cubic metres of rimu was seized by the Indigenous Forestry Unit and sold for around $4000.
Knuth's co-accused is David (Tuffy) Churton, the owner of the timber.
Knuth's counsel, Roger Crowley, explained that his client used to make a living by milling timber on farms with a portable sawmill. He was having difficulty getting paid, and took a part-time job with the council.
Mr Churton owed him $15,000, and he had hoped to get the money by letting him use the portable sawmill.
He took the view that Mr Churton should register the mill. The two blamed each other for the omission.
Crown prosecutor Harry Mallalieu said under law the milling of native timber must be done with a registered sawmill. Registration costs $125.
Registration and mill records are one of the ways of enforcing the laws that control native logging. The other is through permits issued to landowners.
The law reflected the value New Zealanders place on retaining native forest, and the government's intention to promote sustainable management.
Mr Churton did have a permit to mill the timber, Mr Mallalieu said.
"It's not a case of milling at night, or flying it out of the bush."
Mr Crowley said the offence might be compared with failing to register a car. District Court Judge John Clapham didn't agree.
"When we have indigenous cars it might be?" he said. Knuth had come close to losing his job over the charge, and suffered significant public embarrassment. He had never appeared in court before.
Judge Clapham said his offence was serious. Ensuring native forest was properly managed was the responsibility of everyone, so that it was kept "for those coming behind us".
Knuth knew the mill should be registered, he said, and also knew that it was not.
He was fined $3000, plus solicitors' fees of $300.