TEN CHARGES.

Franklin Times, Volume XX, Issue 75, 2 July 1930, Page 5

TEN CHARGES.

HORSE-STEALING ALLEGED.

SEVENTEEN HORSES INVOLVED

YOUNG FARMER IN COURT. Ten ■ charges of horse-stealing at Whakatiwai, New Brighton, on June 12, were preferred against u young farmer, Thomas James Gibson, of Newstead, in the Pukekohe Police Court to-day. Messrs M. Cronin and T). Jamieson, J.P.'s were on the Bench. Accused' was charged with stealing two bay fillies valued at £l2, the property of Samuel Thompson; a bay horse, a very dark bay mare, a brown filly and a small bay colt valued at £ls 10s, the property of John Hubert Anderson: a bay filly valued at £2, the property of Jack Kepa; a bay filly with white ranrW-'gs valued at £4, the property of George Thompson; a darK Say mare and foal valued at £5, the property of Jimmy Thompson; a bay filly valued at £5, the property of Kupi Richards; a black filly valued at £B, the property of Thomas Williams; a baystallion and a dark chesnut stallion valued at £ll, the ""property of "William Kumi; a roan stallion and a chestnut mare valued at £6 10s, the property of William Aramoana; and a . Jbrowh filly valued ait £lO, the property of Ngaru Thompson. Sergeant J. T. Cowan prosecuted, •and Mr P. A. Hosking appeared for accused. * '

Case for the Prosecution. The first witness called was Samuel Thompson, a labourer residing at Kaiaua, who stated he owned a number of horses which were running on his property in that district. The •animals escaped and were running on a Maori burial ground on the Wednesday prior to witness missing them. On the following day, June 12, witness observed two nieir driving a num'±>er of horses along the road near the cemetery, and he recognised three of the equines as being owned by him. "Witness enquired from accused as to ■where he was taking the horses and Teceived the reply, "he had to take them away." Questioned further accused stated he was taking the animals 'to a pound; but said not To the Waitakaruru pound. Accused said he 'was a ranger and _was driving the horses to the Waikato pound. ■ Wit-' ness went on to say that he lold accused that, if such was the case he was taking his animals back. Ac•cordingly he took three horses from the mob and missed three others later. The men continued on their /way driving the animals. On a later Isunday he proceeded to the Hamilton fcplice station, where he identified two ■jrses belonging to him. Witness 9«' recognised a bay filly owned by TCupi Richards and an animal owned by. Thomas Williams. Witness' animals were bred at Whakatiwai by himself.

Cross examined by Mr Hosking. -witness said he separated his three 'horses single-handed from the mob. He was mounted at the time. Witness denied removing a fourth animal. To Sergeant Cowan: lie valued one at £8 and another at £4.

In reply to the Bench. Thompson ■stated his animals were unbroken. One "had been "mouthed," its mouth being ■sore when recovered.

Horses Identified.

John Hubert Anderson, farmer, Whakatiwai, slated that on June 12 he saw four of his horses on the un.fenced burial ground, and described the marking on each. He found ■them to be missing in the afternoon. He valued them at £l6 10s. The old bay mare was a present from his daughter. the horse he purchased from J. Leghorn, Orere, and the filly and colt were bred by witness. When at Hamilton on June 22 he identified his four horses in a paddock near the vpolice station; also two owned by each of William Aramoana, Jimmy Thompson and Sam Thompson, and one owned by each of Ngaru Thompson, Jack Kepa, Kupi Richards and George Thompson. He assisted to drive the : animals back to Whakatiwai. To Sergeant Cowan witness said he had been residing in the district, for 14 years and did not know of an :aged Maori man living by himself in a whare /along the coast toward Miranda; nor of an old native man resident on the road inland from Miranda. Asked by Mr Hosking whether he was able to identify all the 18 horses witness replied in the affirmative. Mr Hosking pointed out to witness that he had only mentioned the owners of 14 horses. After considerable hesitation witness said there were four others: two belonged to Tommy Williams and two to William Kumi.

Accused Not Authorised Ranger.

Arnold Ad lor Woodward, engineer to the Waikato County Council, said he knew the accused by sight. On the morning of June 10 accused entered his office asking for the loan •of a map as he desired to know the shortest route from Miranda to Hamilton. According to witness, accused told him he had purchased some horses in the former locality. Gibson was not, an employee of the county council and was not an authorised ranker. Witness had never seen him previous to the date mentioned. To Mr Hosking: He was not sure of the date of the visit of accused. You gave him permission to get the horses off the road? —No, the question was never discussed. Will you swear that he did not ask •you for permission?—Yes. Will you swear that you did not - refer him to the county inspector?—In answer to Sergeant Cowan, witness said Whakatiwai was in the Franklin County Area, and he had no jurisdiction there. When the court resumed after the luncheon adjournment, Jack Kepa was .* the witness box. He told the court A>£e saw his horse at the burial ground

on June IJ. Some days after he mis- | sed the animal: it was returned by Anderson. The Ally he purchased from Whana Aramoana prior to Christmas last. Witness valued the animal at £2 10s. Jimmy Thompson, labourer. Whakaliwai, said he last saw his horses on the cemetery ground on the Sunday preceding June He placed a value of £5 on the mare and her foal. They were returned to witness on Sunday last. June 20. "I Saw Wlen Mustering Horses." Evidence was given by Kupi Bichards, Whakatiwai, that on June 12 he saw two men riding through Whakatiwai from the direction of New Brighton. Later he saw the men mustering horses on the burial ground. Witness' unbroken filly was missing on the afternoon in question. The animal was brought hack from Hamilton, together with others and placed in the burial ground. ! (The case is proceeding).