DISCOVERY AT WORKS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 152, 29 June 1935, Page 14

DISCOVERY AT WORKS

EARMARKS MUTILATED

SHEEP-STEALING CHARGES (By - Telegraph—Press Association.) WAIROA, June 28. Victor James Frank Magee and James Burnard Green were jointly charged in the Magistrate's Court with four cases; of stealing at Mangapoike 60 sheep, the property of various settlers in that locality. Two further charges were preferred against Magee alone of having stolen 74 lambs and 31 big sheep from the same locality on March 10 and 14. Tihi Whaanga, in evidence, stated that he noticed while at the Wairoa freezing works on April 3 a lamb in the yard bearing his earmark.. He reported the matter to his agent, and this resulted in a further inspection, 44 of Whaanga's lambs being found in a mob of 46. Thomas. Roy Spiller, auctioneer, in evidence stated that on inspecting the mob he found that the earmarks of 24 had been tampered' with.' Fourteen had both ears mutilated and 10 one ear mutilated. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ • After a hearing lasting since Wednesday morning, during which 37. witnesses were heard, the Magistrate, Mr. E. L Walton, committed both men for trial at Napier, bail, in £500 being granted. • On the two. charges against Magee, the Magistrate also found a case to i atiswer, and committed the accused to stand trial at Napier. Similar bail was allowed. CASE IN THE SOUTH SHEEP KILLED FOR FOOD (By Telejrrapb—Press Association.) • INVERCARGILI*. June 28. At the Magistrate's Court today, before Mr. W. H. Freeman, S.M., Ronald Craig Little and another, both aged 21, of Caroline, labourers, pleaded guilty to a charge of. stealing a sheep valued at 255. Little pleaded guilty, to failing to comply with the terms of his release on probation and to a charge of stealing a watch valued at £6 at St. Bathan's on December 8, 1934. Both elected to be dealt with summarily. Detective-Sergeant R. Thompson said that the accused were employed at a relief camp at Caroline. They became short of mutton and killed a breeding ewe and left the offal and skin in a paddock. One was a first offender, but Little, a married man, was on probation for two years for theft There was no suggestion that they had been making a habit of sheep-stealing. Remarking that Little had been released on probation for theft this year, the Magistrate convicted him and sentenced'him to three months' imprisonment on the first charge; on the others he was. convicted and discharged. The other accused, who was a first offender, he would give another chance. He would'be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon and ordered to make restitution of 25s in full within one month. His< Worship said he would have..taken a more serious view of the case had the sheep not been lulled, for food, , \,_