ALLEGED SHEEP STEALING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 241, 28 September 1911, Page 5

ALLEGED SHEEP STEALING

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST BOARDINGHOCSE K EF.PER. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington. Sept. 27. Appearing on remand at the Magistrate’s Court, before Mr. A\. JRiddel. S.M., to-day. John Baker, proprietor of the White Horse Boardinghouse. Ngahauranga. was charged with having stolen a sheep, the property of Patrick Kavanagh. Chief-detective Broberg prosecuted. and accused, who elected to be tried before a jury, was represented by Mr. A. Dunn. Patrick Kavanagh. sheep and dairy farmer. Kaiwara. said he leased a portion of the Homebush Estate. One morning, on counting the sheep he found about 50 missing. Witness complained to the police that his sheep were disappearing. and on examining his property found the remains of about .">*» animals. The animals had been killed, but not with his authority.

Detective A. Bailey deposed to watching Kavanagh’s property in company with Constable Cummings on the evening of tl.e 22nd instant. ( About lo.rjn o’clock the two officers; saw Baker < oming down a track; which led from Kavanagh's land. ! They accosted him. and he immedi atelv dropped the carcase of a sheep he was carrying and made off. An arrest followed, and on being cpies-' tinned accused stated that he had authority to kill sheep on the place, i The authority, however, was not , forthcoming. Witness examined the .•arease and found a small bullet hole through one of the forelegs. In \ accused s vest pocket were found .oirie discharged pea rifle shells, and in a bedroom in his house a pea rifle v.as discovered, also some eart-, ridges. Several skins were also found on accused s premises, one ; hearing marks which appeared to liave open caused Lv a gunshot. On rhe spur of the hill bemath which accused was arrested was found the offal of a sheep and some trotters. These were quite fresh. ' To Mr. Dunn: We had been wait iiivr on the road for about an hour 1..-:.-;.- Ihe accused came down the track. When we arrested him he, ami we had to pul (fim gown on she road to get the; hami. tiff- «>u. We did not draw .mr ' revolvers. Constable J. ’•!. Ciimi.ting's evid-: ’th t‘ »ui" r- rroin'ta* lie. On b< ing forma'll charged. the ■i..,i-..: pleaded not gi.l.v ano re-" served I.is defem r*. He was commitled to the Supreme < oiiri for trial f.ail being allow* 5 in the dim of £BO .mo o-m- --are’y ' L ,u or two of - V t-