THE SHEEP ACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9142, 25 August 1888, Page 5

THE SHEEP ACT.

CHARGE AGAINST A FARMER.

[BY TELEGRAPHOWN CORRESPONDENT.

Thames, Friday. At the Police Court to-day, before Mr. H. W. Norbhcroft, R.M., J. B. Steedman was charged with being the owner of infected sheep on his farm at Waikawau on the 18th June last. There was another charge against the defendant, but it was agreed to hear both together. Mr. Hudson Williamson, Crown Prosecutor, conducted the case on behalf of the Sheep Department, at whose instance the proceedings had been instituted, while Messrs. Cotter and Stewart defended.

The case occupied the Court during the greater part of the day, and at the adjournment at 5.30 only the evidence for the prosecution had been taken. The, witnesses examined were Inspector Drummond, Superintendent Bayley, R. West, J. Bennett, W. O. Jamieson, and W. F. Porter, whose evidence was to the effect that scab existed on the defendant's farm at Waikawau; that he had sent sheep to Parawai for-sale, and two days afterwards they were found to be affected with scab ; and that another lot sold to Porter, a settler at Miranda, were also discovered to be infected with scab about two months after they had been turned with others on a run. Previous to this Miranda was a clean district. Porter reported the existence of scab to Inspector Drummond, and hence arose the present case. The evidence for the prosecution having been heard, Mr. Cotter submitted that the charge had riot been substantiated, but His ,Worship ruled otherwise, and adjourned till ten o'clock to-morrow morning.