MISSING SHEEP

Northern Advocate, 15 June 1935, Page 3

MISSING SHEEP

CHARGES AGAINST TWO MEN ALLEGED PUHIPUHI INCIDENTS TWELVE WITNESSES CALLED. CASE FOR SUPREME COURT.

Two men William Reginald Hamilton and William Albert Potter, both charged with sheep stealing, were „cmmitted to the Supreme Court for .rial, following the hearing of the charge at tne Whangarei Police _ourt yesterday. Twelve witnesses were called, the case concluding at 5T5 p.m. Messrs C. F. Collins and A. J. MacAay, J.P’s., were on the bench, and the case for the police was conducted c,y Detective P. Nalder. The full charge against each man w’as as follows;—‘That on or about December 11, • 1934. at Puhipuhi, did Leal one sheep, valued at £l, the property of W. H. Reed, and on dates oetween September 29, 1934, and April 15, 1935, did steal 30 sheep valued at £3O, also the property of jW. H. Reed.” Several of the witnesses were Maoris and an interpreter had to be employed for the taking of evidence. When the hearing was resumed yesterday afternoon. William Cooper, a native, speaking through an interpreter, said he knew Hamilton and Potter and worked for Hamilton on the contract and was there for- about xour weeks. He understood that Hamilton provided the food. He saw sheep on Edwards’ property, but Edwards said they were Reed’s. Neither Hamilton or Potter was present when that was said. For food they had sometimes* eels, sometimes' mutton. The mutton was provided by Hamilton and he understood it came from Edwards’ property. The whole of a sheep was brought in once or twice a week. Witness knew of five sheep that had been brought in. Witness corroborated the evidence of the previous witness in regard to Hamilton and Potter going out with a pea-rifle and knife to bring back sheep. Witness said he had just casually heard that Hamilton was buying sheep to kill. Hamilton mentioned this himself but did not say whose sheep he was buyihg. “Origin Not Known.” Roy Kaka, also speaking through an interpreter, said he saw no carcases of sheep brought into the camp while he was there, and he did not know where the mutton came from. Hamilton had a pea-rifle and once went to kill sheep with Potter. He did not see them came back. Albert Cosgrave, a labourer, of Opuawhanga, said he had worked on the contract at Edwards’ property. He was there for six days and if in camp had his meals' there. The meat was mutton and as far as witness knew it came from Edwards’ place. Potter asked witness to go and get a sheep and Cooper and Waetford were both asked too. They did not go and Waetford said he did not want to go to gaol. There were sheep on Edwards’ place but witness could not say if these were the sheep they were going to kill. Potter pointed a sheep out to Waetford as one to kill. This was in the direction of Edwards’. Witness asked Potter whose sheep they were and he said they were Hamilton’s sheep. Witness told Hamilton Potter wanted him to go and shoot sheep and told Hamilton what Waetford had said. Hamilton swore at that, and wit-* ness had no further conversation about the matter. Potter said the sheep were on Edwards’ place and witness asked how he knew the sheep from Reed’s. Potter said he knew by the earmarks.

Sam Proctor, a labourer, of Whananaki, said he was working for Hamilton on the contract. As witness was driving the motor truck he nearly always carted the provisions, but never took meat into the camp. Witness had his meals at the camp when he was there and had mutton. He had beef on one occasion. Hamilton told witness on one occasion that he and Potter had been out after mutton. Towards the end of witness’ stay in camp Hamilton asked Cosgrave to give Potter a hand at killing a sheep but Cosgrave did go. Hamilton said they were making a mistake about the sheep and he could show a clean receipt for the sheep that belonged to him. Had No Sheep. Patuone Edwards, a farmer at Helena, Bay, said his property w„as next to Mr Reed’s. Witness was not a sheep farmer and did not own any sheep. He had never had any sheep in the paddocks next to Reed’s boundary. The last sheep witness owned were about 15 and these, had been killed off up to last September. No one else in the locality kept sheep. Witness supplied the camp with an 18-month-old steer soon after the contract. When Hamilton and Potter supplied. No one else but Mr Reed had any sheep on witness’ property, these coming through ah unfenceo portion. Witness had never told j Hamilton and Potter that he had any sheep. William Nore, a native of Opahi, l said he was also employed on the contrasct. When' Hamilton and Potter went out after meat they went in the direction of Edwards’ place; when they came back he would see the mutton. Mr Nalder; “Who owned the sheep?” —“Mr Reed.” “Who told you they were Reeds?” —“No one told me. I did not hear Hamilton or Potter say anything about the sheep.” “How did you know they were Reed’s?" —“The other sheep were in Reed’s place and the fence was down. Hamilton and Potter would go out twice a week.” Constable Butler, stationed at Hikurangi, detailed an interview with Potter. in regard to some sheep of Mr Reed’s which were missing. Potter made a statement to Detective Nalder and accused signed it. Witness gave evidence in regard to the finding of the remains of the sheep with Potter’s aid. \. Detective’s Evidence. Detective Nalder gave corroborative evidence of the events leading to the arrest of Potter. The investigation was made following a complaint by Mr Reed. Witness produced a statement made by Potter and also one by Potter’s wife. Potter said the remains of the sheep killed had not been concealed but left lying about. When searching for the remains of the sheep ' Potter said Hamilton must have come

back and shifted everything as nothing could be found. Witness said to Potter that it appeared that he was misleading the police. Potter then told them to come over to the other side of the flat and said he had killed a sheep under a fallen tree. No remains could be seen about, but they were pointed out amongst some wineberry trees nearby. The skin had no ears, and Potter said he did not know who' cut them off and did not know if Hamilton had cut them off. The remains found were taken possession of and also a piece of wood which was hung between two trees. j Statement By Hamilton. 1 Hamilton was located in Whangarei and when told that inquiries were , being made about Reed’s sheep he said: “I know. It is that devil Stone, and added that Stone had been telling everyone ire (Hamilton) had been stealing sheep. On the way to the police station to see the file of the case, witness told Hamilton he was quite satisfied a number of Heed’s sheep had been stolen. Hamilton said: “The Maoris, but I do not want to state more than that. I do not want to commit myself. I have finished with the Hamilton was told that Potter had made a statement. This was read to Hamilton and he agreed with quite a lot of it and did not say anything in disagreement with any of it. Harm - ton then asked witness if Pat Edwards had made a statement, and witness told Hamilton he had, saying he had no sheep. Hamilton said: “Mine were there and one of them is still there. Hamilton said he would not say where he got his sheep or who from, and gave a statement to that effect. In his statement read by the detective Hamilton said that he never looki ed at the earmarks of the sheep after he had shot them. He did not know if his sheep had earmarks. He shot what he thought were his sheep. Witness told Hamilton he would go anywhere to verify his statement or to see the man he had bought them from Hamilton said the receipt might be with his brother or he might have to get a new receipt. I I told him if he could not take me to ! where the receipt was or to the man ] from whom he had bought the sheep | the inspector would instruct me m I charge him with stealing Heed’s 1 sheep,” said witness. ‘He told me he i could not take me to the man and he I did not want tb commit himself. I asked him why and he said the sheep 1 might have been stolen and in that i case he would be charged with receiving stolen property. I told him we would investigate that. He said: ‘You 1 he've got me either way. I am a mug. I told him he would be charged with the theft of the sheep and he again ! repeated: T am a mug.’ He was then i charged.” ! Both accused pleaded not guilty and j were committed to the Supreme Court | for trial. Bail of £IOO self and lone surety of £IOO was allowed in 1 each case.