WAIROA.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 53, 4 March 1901, Page 2

WAIROA.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SHEEP-STEALING. A case of considerable importance to sheep farmers came before two of our local Justices last week, when three Uriwera Natives were arrainged on a charge of sheep-stealing. It appears that Mr Harry Hamilton Smith, a sheep farmer, at Waikaremoana, was repairing a boundary fence between himself and his Native neighbours,-, when he noticed some sheep being rounded up' on the Maori ground adjoining. Being somewhat doubtful as to the correctness of his Maori neighbours’ ideas of meum and teuin, he secreted himself in some scrub, and watched developments. Ho saw the three Natives implicated, drive the sheep into a small patch of bush, when they selected one of the fattest, and took it aside, evidently with the intention of killing it. On galloping round to the spot Mr Smith found a sheep bearing his ear-mark with its throat cut, and one of the accused standing over it. This simple child of Nature when he found he was bowled out, expressed contrition, and offered Mr Smith -Cl for the sheep, which ho said he had killed in mistake. The evidence showed that the other two Natives who fled at Mr Smith’s, approach, were engaged, the one in “ holding ” the sheep while the butcher picked the fattest, and the other as scout on a spur in case of a surprise. The latter, with a smile that was “ childlike and bland,” explained that his object in going on the spur was to find a suitable spot from which to view the forthcoming races! The Bench found the three prisoners guilty, and fined them £lO each, or three months in Napier gaol with hard labor. Needless to say the money was forthcoming, and the trio no doubt congratulated themselves on getting out of a tight comer so easily. Some rather strong opinions as to the leniency of the sentence have been expressed. It is a notorious fact that sheepstealing has been rampant in the Waikaremoana district for years past, although the settlers have not been able to sheet it home, and it was generally hoped that the three, thus caught red-handed, would have been dealt with in such a way as to deter the others,

SHE GOVERNOR. The preparations for the reception of the Governor were suddenly nipped in the bud by the receipt of a wire from the Hon. James Carroll, saying that the visit had been put off indefinitely. This is the second time Wairoa has been treated this way, and our worthy citizens are indignant, and doclare that they will not be taken in again by promises of a gubanatprial visit.