Truck Driver’s Cruelty To Sheep Brings Fine Of £75

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29390, 17 December 1960, Page 12

Truck Driver’s Cruelty To Sheep Brings Fine Of £75

(New Zealana Press Association)

ROTORUA. December 16. “Sergeant 1 want your department. or the S.PCA.. to make furthet investigations into 'he ng of the sheep." said Mt F V McCarthy S M in the Rotoru Magistrate’' Court todav He said this to Sergeant S D Belcher after dealing with Richard Christie aged 23. a driver, of Opotiki who appeared for sentence on a charge of cruelty to animals. The Magistrate convicted Christie and fined him £75 At an earlier hearing, the defendant pleaded guilty and was remanded for sentence. The Court wa told that Christie was seen pushing sheep from a truck instead of using an unloading ramp. Several of 'he sheep were injured. It was alleged, the Court was told, that the sheep were on the truck for 19 hours. “The sheep were subjected to

a fit of temper on your part,” said the Magistrate to Christie, “and I did give consideration to sending you to prison, but the orobation officer’s report shows you to be a first offender with a good record.” The Magistrate said he understood that Christie had not loaded the sheep, but was a relief driver, and he expressed concern at the fact that the sheep were on the truck so long and that so many had died. Air Service Resumed National Airways Corporation services to and from Wanganui were resumed yesterday morning. Sufficient of the paving on a soilcemented landing length had been laid to allow planes to land and take off. Services were suspended in May when the work was begun.—(P.A.) |