RAIDS ON FARMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18862, 10 November 1924, Page 9

RAIDS ON FARMS.

LONG SERIES OF THEFTS.

TWO BROTHERS IN COURT.

ADMITTED TO PROBATION.

The story of tho daring raids on a number of South Taranaki farms by Frank Albert Leslie Whiting and Leo Horace John Whiting, aged 22 and 25 years respectively, was told in the Hawera Court last Thursday, when the two young men appeared before Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., on remand on 21 charges of the' theft of a great variety of articles of a total value of £49 18s 6d.

Constable Townsend said the two ac-

cused were share-milking for a farmer, Mr. Robertson, Hawera. They owned a motorcar, which they bought for £60. On August 17 they started a series of raids upon farms, Going first to Whakamara, they secured a haul from several people. Tho next venture was to Kaponga, where they raided five farms between 9 p.m. and midnight, taking milk cans, toegther with the milk they contained, and whatever they could lay their hands on. They next visited Auroa, where they left a trail of complaints from seven farms. On October 17 they raided another farm and secured one milk can and some milk. This trip not being so successful, the boys decided to go farther afield, settling this time at Eltham (18 miles from home) as the most likely locality for a big haul. Here they raided six farms -ind secured a largo quantity of goods. It appeared, said the constable, that they deliberately set out at night tc stock their farm with what they could get hold of. When arrested they gave every assistance to clear the matter up. The greater part of the stolen goods was recovered, and the accused even showed the police a quantity of goods which they said they had stolen, but which the police had not had reported as stolen. A quantity of stolen milk, cream and calkskins, valued at £6 9s, had not been recovered. Nothing was previously known against either accused. A statement signed by the accused admitting the whole series of offences was read. " Made a Clean Job."

Mr. P. O'Dea, in a plea for leniency, said the boys had lost their father in a drowning 13 years ago, leaving the mother with a family of nine or ten. It could be imagined that their upbringing was pretty hard. The boys could give no sensible excuse why they had committed the thefts. They said, however, that they' were milking on one-third shares, the employer contracting among other things to supply the necessary milk cans. The cans he supplied were very old, and the factory manager threatened that he would not "take the milk during the summer unless the cans were renewed. It was primarily with the object of securing milk cans that the two set out on their escapades. Having taken some things, they probably thought they might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb, and continued on. They certainly made a clean, job of it, taking the milk as well as the cans. They did not get the full benefit of the milk they stole, however, because it was taken to the factory with the milk from the farm upon which they were working, and their employer got twothirds of it. When spoken to, the employer said he could not understand why his • supply of milk was going up and down. . Evidence was given as to the previous good. character of the accused. Three Tears' Probation. The magistrate said that in view of the good'character given to the accused and the .fact that several reputable men were prepared to give them employment, he had decided to admit both to three years' probation, special terms being that they must refund within two months the sum of £6 9s, the value of the goods not recovered, and pay £3 each to cover the costs' of the prosecution. Otherwise the usual terms of probation would apply. Constable Townsend, Mr. 0 Dea, and the magistrate stated that they wished to iiee Mr. Eobertson from any blame. Mr Barton remarking that although Mr. Robertson may have had two-thirds of the milk stolen, he could not be held in any way to blame.