THEFT OF A LAMB

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 100, 21 January 1939, Page 5

THEFT OF A LAMB

Three Young Men Fined

Three young Wellington men who were found bv' a Maori Bank farmer skinning a lamb ‘were charged in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday with the theft of its earcase. Each was fined £5. Thov were John Keith Brackenridge, labourer. aged 29. Frank John Olifent, storeman, aged 22, and Frederick Albert Fraser, steward, aged 18. Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle said the owner of the lamb was found to be Alexander Smith, a farmer at Reikorangi, who hud given permission to the three to shoot over his property on December 17 and use a bae'h on it. When the farmer at Maori Bank entered a combined garage .■mil bach on his property the three men escaped through another door and drove off in a car. They returned and explained that they had shot the lamb in mistake for a goal, and. afraid of the consequences, hud commenced to cut it up to dispose of it. They had given the same explanation to the owner of the lamb and to the detective who interviewed them. After evidence had been called by the police and by Mr. T. P. McCarthy, who iippeareil for accused. Mr. J. 11. Luxford, S.M.. said be did not believe their explanation. Killing slmep-in the country was a serious matter. He refused an application for the suppression of their names, and, in addition to imposing the tines, ordered them to play £l/3/4 each witnesses’ expenses.