ALLEGED SHEEP STEALING

Evening Star, Issue 18812, 10 December 1924, Page 5

ALLEGED SHEEP STEALING

CHARGE AGAINST SOLDIER SETTLER. SHORTAGE IN GOVERNMENT FLOCK Allegations of stealing seventeen sheep, valued at £sl, from tire Government flock on tho Teviot Settlement were made against James Reidy, a soldier settler, in the City Police Court this morning, before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M. Chief-detectivc Lewis prosecuted. Mr J. M. Gillies appeared for accused, and at his request witnesses were ordered out of the court. James M'Gill, manager of the Teviot sheep station, said a mustering of ewes took place on October 30 of this year to find out if (.hero was any shortage. There was a shortage found of 390 wet ewes. An allowance had been made for a 7 per cent, death rate among tho owes before the shortage was calculated. Ho was present on November 20, in company with Detective Hart and Constable M'Mahon when tho sheep on the farm of accused were mustered, there being 378 sheep, five of which were rams and 373 ewes. The sheep were drafted into separate lots according to age, as shown by ear marks and “"brands. Tho ago marks were on the ears. There was a mixture of two, four, six, and eight-tooth ewes. Of the total eighty-eight were eight-tooth, eightyeight were six-tooth, 131 were four-tooth, and sixty-eight were two-tooth. Around tho Teviot Settlement there were a number of soldier settlers, who all but one were supplied with sheep from Teviot by tho Government. Accused was supplied with sheep on that system about March 26 of this year. When the sheep were to he distributed they were all mustered and drafted. They were drafted according to the marks on the ears, and were branded according to age. It was arranged that each settler should have a certain „quota of sheep according to his holding.’ Each settler was given a certain number of sheep of the different ages. Witness saw the entries of the number of sheep received by each settler, the numbers being given to him by Ranger O’Neill. The accused received 490 ewes. Witness did not see the quotas entered in the hook. Ho examined the brands of some of the sheep found on accused’s place. Some of them were wet, showing they had recently been put on. Ho would say that the sheep he examined had not been branded more than eight or nine weeks. They were carrying a full fleece. In March, when the sheep were distributed, there would not be more than half an inch of wool on the sheep. On tho bulk of the sheep the brands wore quite dry, but the brand had not gone down in th® wool at all. Ho could not tell hoTV long the ear-marks had been on. He thought tho area of the farm occupied by accused was about 700 acres. One skin was found on the place, tho brand showing it was that of an eight-tooth ewe. On November 21 seventeen sheep were, taken possession of by witness from accused’s farm.

To Mr Gillies: For the past twelve months they had discovered a shortage of sheep on tho Teviot station. The sheep on the farms of other soldier settlers were mustered the day before accused’s were mustered. On November 20 374 sheep were mustered on Reidy’s place, and four more were, mustered next day. Witness did not count the sheep) on tho first occasion. When (hey wore drafted into separate ages witness counted them. Ho claimed tho seventeen sheep after the muster on November 21. To tho best of his knowledge and belief the, se,venteen sheep were the property of the Government. Tho brands and ear-marks on the seventeen sheep were the, same as on the other sheep Reidy had. Ho took the seventeen sheep out because of tho wetness of the brands.

His Worship; Do I understand that tho brands of the seventeen sheep were different in appearance from those of the rest of the flock? Witness: Yes.

In reply to tho chief detective, witness said ho had not heard Reidy explain what quota of sheep ho had been supplied with. Edward O’Neill, field inspector in Die employ of tho Lands Department, said bo was at Teviot when sheep were allotted to soldier settlers. Reidy received ninetyone two-tooth ewes, 149 four-tooth owes, eighty-five six-tooth ewes, and seventy-five eight-tooth ewes, five wethers, and eight rains.

Mr Gillies claimed that he had seen tho statement, and that it showed twenty wethers.

After some argument witness admitted that accused received twenty wethers. He, said he was present when the sheep were counted and handed over to Reidy. No complaint had come from Reidy as to a, wrong tally' being delivered. To Mr Gillies: The sheep were under security to the Commissioner of Grown Lands. Ho had had no occasion to look at Reidy’s sheep since they were counted out. Witness did not actually take a e.iimt, but he assisted. He did not look at tho mouths of the sheep, and could not speak to his own knowledge regarding the of the sheep. Reidy was not present at the count. The cheep Reidy' got wore branded, but ho could not tell what the brands were. It was impossible for tho sheep to have become “boxed.” Witness could not swear that, the ages of tho sheep in the different lots were as stated. To the Chief-detective : H would he possible for a soldier to get more than i- s o cii'i of the ciic.-p of a certain age.

Alexander Craighead, Fanner on the Teviot settlement, said he was present when the sheep were allotted to (ne soldier soltid's, jie understood that the sheep wore drafted according to age. Bel ore and after receiving his own allotted number witness, at the request of the manager, counted out sheep for other settlors. He could not say if he counted sheep for h'eulv, as he dir! not know whom each lot was for. 'When the sheep left the yards they went into tho hands of the settlers. To Mr Gillies: Ho did not “month” the owes to find their ages. Ho did not sec them drafted into pens according to age. Witness’s sheep were not mustered at tho same time as those of accused’s.

To the Chief-detective : In his experience mistakes in drafting were not likely to occur if cart* were taken.

The court adjourned till the afternoon,