MONTH IN GAOL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 98, 6 February 1936, Page 6

MONTH IN GAOL.

SHEEP INSUFFICIENTLY FED BROTHER FOUND NOT GUILTY. (Special to the “Guardian.”) TIMARU, February 5. The case against Charles Munro Smith, sheep farmer, of Beautiful Valley, near Geraldine, of failing to supply sheep on ffiis farm with proper and sufficient food, which was begun in the Supreme Court, Timaru, on Tuesday, before Mr Justice Northcroft, was concluded yesterday, when a verdict ol guilty was returned. His Honour said he could not agree to probation. The prisoner’s history with stock seemed to indicate callous indifference to tlio trust imposed in him. In 1922 prisoner had been convicted of failing to supply 600 sheep with proper and sufficient food, and three years later had been fined for neglecting to supply water to dogs. In 1932 he had been fined for shearing sheep out of season. Smith was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. A similar charge was then proceeded with against Ernest Ackerman Smith, of Lincoln (brother of the previous accused) for whom Mr C. S. Thomas appeared and pleaded not guilty. The Crown Prosecutor said that accused owned a farm of between 700 and 800 acres at Beautiful Valley, adjoining the one owned by the previous accused. Dr. William A. Johnston, of Lincoln said that on July 1 he attended the accused for a stroke, which paralysed him down the left side. He was also suffering from heart disease. Accused was not fit to manage his farm until well into October. The jury returned after an absence of less than an hour with a verdict of not guilty and accused was discharged.