THEFT OF SHEEP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22628, 20 July 1935, Page 4

THEFT OF SHEEP

MINERS IN TROUBLE MAGISTRATE EXTENDS LENIENCY. At a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Lawrence, before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., Malcolm Alexander MTver and John Williamson were charged by the police that on or about July 2 at Waitahuna West they did kill one sheep and steal the carcass, the property of William Roughtan, The accused were represented by Mr Calvert (Dunedin) and pleaded guilty, electing to be dealt with summarily. Constable Parkhill said that the two accused were prospecting for gold on a mining lease held by the complainant at Waitahuna West. Up to April 24 the complainant supplied them with mutton, when they ceased to get meat from him. The complainant was poisoning rabbits on the property where the two' accused were prospecting, 1 and he had to move the sheep from this block. He failed to muster seven sheep, and they were left on the block where the accused were camped. In the evening he would hunt these seven sheep away from the poisoned furrow. He first missed one sheep and then two from the seven, and he became suspicious that the accused were killing his sheep for meat. On July 3 he was passing a prospecting hole that had been dug by the accused and at that time the hole had not been filled in. He again passed the same hole on July 7, and noticed that the hole had been filled in. He surmised that the remains of a sheep had been buried in the hole, and with the assistance of his son he opened up the hole and found the remains of a sheep buried there. The head was intact and the ears bore the earmarks of the complainant, and he identified the sheep as his property. The back portion and shoulders of the sheep had been skinned, and the legs, loin and shoulders of tlie carcass were missing. The complainant reported the matter to the police, who took possession of the remaining portion of the carcass. On July 17 the two accused were interviewed by Constable Parkhill and Detective Russell. MTver admitted that he shot the sheep and assisted Williamson to skin it. They both stated that they had no meat, and shot the sheep for mutton. Constable Parkhill stated that MTver was a married man with two children. He was on the mining subsidy scheme, and was getting 29 s Gd per week, on which he had to keep himself and wife and two children. Williamson was a married man, 58 years of age, with six children. He was on the mining subsidy, and was in receipt of 29s Gd per week, on which he had to keep himself and his wife and children. Nothing was known against either of the accused. Constable Parkhill asked that restitution be made at the rate of 12s Gd each.

Mr Calvert stated that the two accused had never been in trouble before. They were short of food, and it was unfortunate that they should take the law into their own hands.

His Worship pointed out to the accused that sheep stealing was a serious charge and one very difficult to detect, and warranted a heavy penalty. In the circumstances he would convict each offender and order him to come up for sentence if called upon within two years, and to make restitution at the rate of 12b 6d each.