PIGS SHOT

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 April 1932, Page 5

PIGS SHOT

REEFTON FARMERS AT LAW [OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.] REEFTON, April 14. A sitting of the Reefton Magistrate’s Court was held to-day, when the following cases were heard: — F. Harewood versus S. T. Provis, claim for destruction of two sows. Evidence was given by F. Harewood who stated that Provis told him he had shot the two pigs and asked him to come and remove them. His property adjourned Provis’s land. The pigs were shot six to seven chains away from a paddock on Provis’s property containing oats. The pigs were valued in open market at £5 to £G each. When the shots were fired he was 10 chains away on the other side of the hill. He admitted that the pigs worried Provis, but he had offered to share the cost of putting up a boundary fence. He bought nine pigs from Buchanan at Ikamatua, ' and paid £45 for the lot, which included eight sows. He admitted that portion of Provis’s land was fenced. Garth W. Harewood, a previous witness, gave corroborative evidence. A. Wills stated that he inspected the boundary fence on March 28. It was not stock proof. He considered that the sows were worth £5 each. Thos. Blackadder stated that the boundary fence was in a very dilapidated condition. S. J. Provis stated that he owned 72 acres of freehold land next to Harewood. This land was ring fenced. He repaired the dividing fence with five barbed wires and birch posts. He had four cultivated pad-

docks which were sub-divided, one with wire and paling fence, the other with' barbed wire fence. For four years, Harewood’s pigs had troubled him. He had several times spoken to Harewood regarding this. The pigs were in a paddock of oats. He drove them out of this into the bush and shot them there. He reported the shooting to the Sergeant of Police. He considered the pigs would be valued at £2 10/- each. He gave Harewood verbal notice to remove the pigs after he shot same. Edward Provis stated he lived at home and helped on the farm. He was at home the day of the shooting. He saw the pigs in the oat paddock. Two ox’ three times he spoke to Harewood regarding the trespass of the pigs. Judgment was given for Harewood. Pigs were valued at £5 each. Court costs and witnesses’ expenses were allowed to value of £2 1/-.