SANDMOONT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1555, 27 August 1881, Page 13

SANDMOONT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

August 22nd. The young scamp mentioned in your last issue as having robbed a farmer st Papanui Inlet of £4 5s after being hospitably treated, next paid our part of the district a visit, where he represented himself as the Ron of a captain, commissioned by his father to purchase butter, cheese, fowls, pigs, &c. for the use of the ship. By doing so he was able to gain admittance to several houses ; and to make his story f asible he did purchase some things, and paid for them, sayIng he would call for them again. At one place be told such a plausible tala that they invited him to stay for % couple of days, but, fortunately for them, the settler from whom be hud stolen the ponfy beard of bit vrhtreabouto, and w« speedily

down on him, and recovered all the money stolen with tho exception of a few shillings he had paid away to some of the settlers, who have since given it up to the owner. Owing to the long distance from any policestation, they allowed the culprit to escape. It is thought that his object in visiting the houses was to gain information as to where the settlers kept their spare cash, and at some future time pay them a visit and relieve them of any spare valuables lying about. He is worthy of the attention of the police. The second of the series of monthly entertainments given by the Good Temp'ars of this district took place on Friday evening, the 12th inst., when a magic lantern was shown, to the evident satisfaction of the youngsters present. The weather during the past fortnight has been very boisterous, high winds prevailing; and it has been piercingly cold. As a result coughs and colds are Erevalent. Despite the bad weather, the farmers have een pushing on with their ploughing, which is now well advanced.