THEFT OF BLACK BOY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 12

THEFT OF BLACK BOY.

TRANSVAAL FARMER FINED.

PENALTY OF TEN SHILLINGS.

[from our. own - correspondent.]

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 6

• Charged with the unusual offence of man-stealing, a Transvaal farmer has been fined 10s. The "man" in the case was a pic'canin named Gagl Mollo, seven years of age, and the farmer "stole" him in order to secure a worker for his farm.

According to tlio child's story he was seized and taken by waggon to the farm, where ho had been for oyer a week when his sisters discovered him.

Complainant, who is seven years of age, told the Court that accused came to him whilo hording cattle and asked if ho wanted work, offering five shilling a month. Witness declined. Accused then offered eight shillings a month, and ho again refused. "Accused then picked me up and put mo ou the waggon," the picoanin continued. "There was anothor white man with him, I was alone afc the time. I did not do anything when he put me on the waggon. Accused then drove on. That night when wo went to bed accused put me in a bag. We went to the compound where the accused unloaded mealies. Then wo went to accused's farm, where I stayod about eight days, when mv sisters camo there and found mo." ■ The witness said that accused treated him well. Tlio father stated that on the non-return of his son ho set out on a search, eventually finding him -it accused's place, about ' a nay's walk from home. It is tho first timo for many years that such a case has been recorded iri South Africa* ,