ATTACK ON PIGS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 163, 26 June 1935, Page 5

ATTACK ON PIGS

Auction Mart Incident MAN APPEARS IN COURT The squealing of pigs as the result of a raid at night on the pens at the rear of an auction mart in Hastings led to Arthur James Cleghorn appearing before Mr J. Miller, S.M. : at the Hastings Magistrate’s Court this morning. Cleghorn was charged with attempting on May 18 to daughter three pigs by striking them about .the head with an axe in such a manner as to subject them to unnecessary pain and suffering. He was further charged with attempting to steal three pigs valued at £4 8/6, the property of the Hawke’s Bay Butchery Co. 8 Mr 8. Averill appeared for Cleghorn, who pleaded not guilty. William Arthur Taylor butcher, said that on May 18 he attended an auction sale at Walker’s mart where he bought a number of pigs which he put into different pens at the mart and wired the gates. Later that night, in consequence of certain information, he went back to the pens where he found that something had happened to the pigs. Two of them were out of the pens, while others bad cuts about the head and were bleeding badly. Witness informed the police. On his return he found that during his absence an attempt had been made to put one of the injured pigs into a sack. On account of its condition witness destroyed it immediately to put it out of agony. Two other pigs he found had been badly cut about on the head and shoulders.

Meafou Tupuivao deposed that at about 7.30 p.m. on the night in question he heard some pigs squealing, and immediately went over to the pens at tho back of the auction mart where he saw a man striking one of the pigs with an axe. Witness asked him what he was doing. As the man had an axe in his hand and walked towards him, witness moved away. On his way back to his home nearby he met a man named Clark and another man. On hearing further squealing the three of them went back to the pens when they saw a man in the moonlight. One of them called out, “Wait,” but he immediately made off. (Proceeding.)