COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 11 September 1937, Page 10

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

CHARGE OF SHEEP-STEALING AT DOVEDALE EVIDENCE IN MAGISTRATE’S COURT In the Magistrate’s Court ycsterlay afternoon Henry Win was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge that on or about 10th July at Dovcdale be did commit the theft of one sheep valued at £1 10s. the property of Roger Lloyd Win. Mr T. E. Maunsell S.M., was on the bench. Detective J. McLeod conducted the prosecution and Mr J. R. Kerr represented the accused. Roger L. Win, farmer of Dovedale, said fifty acres of his farm adjoined that of accused’s. He said he had had sheep missing for some time past. Mr Kerr objected to this evidence and the Magistrate said he would note the objection. Witness went on to say that he met a skin buyer ot Hodgson Bros., and asked him whether he had bought any skins that day and was told that he had bought one fiom Henry Win. On examining it witness found that it was a skin bearing his earmark. He identifier the skin (produced). It was one of a j line of lambs purchased from Mr Cowin in June 1935. He reported the matter to Constable Houston at Wakefield. He had never sold to the accused sheep bearing his earmark, and had never sold any of the sheep bought from Cowin’s. The accused had no authority to kill witnesses’s sheep. He saw the accused who told him that he had had a visit from Constable Houston who had told hinp that he had been killing witness’s sheep. Accused said he must have killed it in the dark accidentally. He had mustered his sheep at the same time as the accused on 23rd August. Witness said he had received a telephone message from the accused that morning, when accused stated that Mr Kerr said the case depended entirely on witness. If accused was convicted it would be disastrous for witness, as other people would see that he got what was coming to him. He and the accused had always been good friends, witness added.

Henry C. Rose, employed by Hodgson Bros., corroborated previous evidence as to the skin which the previous witness had identified as his. He had obtained the skin from off the fence at the back of the accused’s house where it had been left for him. The accused was not present when he picked it up. He had been in the habit of buying skins from the accused. He had averaged one a fortnight over the last three months. Frederick J. Win, former, of Dovedale, said he purchased about 30 lambs from the estate of W. W. Cowin and sold them to his brother. At the request of the police he had assisted in mustering on the accused’s property and found ne had 32 sheep. In march 1934 he had sold the accused 16 cull ewes, some bearing W. W. Cowin’s mark. Constable J. H. Houston described interviewing the accused regarding the skin which he had sold to Rose. Witness obtained a statement from the accused. The accused said that the only explanation he could make was that he must have made a mistake. Detective J. McLeod said that on 22nd August he called on the accused making inquiries about the sheepskin and was told that the accused had made a statement to Constable Houston. Accused said he must have made a mistake and he hoped there would be no trouble about it. Witness asked him to make a muster, and also asked Roger Win to make a muster on his property. Accused said he was quite agreeable, and a muster was made on 23rd August. On drafting the sheep mustered on accused’s place they found 80 of Roger Win’s and 29 of the accused’s sheep. On drafting Roger Win’s sheep they found two belonging to the accused.

The accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

Bail was allowed, £IOO self and £SO surety.