ALLEGED SHEEP THEFTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18763, 20 July 1935, Page 5

ALLEGED SHEEP THEFTS

FARMERS IN COURT 65 CHARGES PREFERRED SOUTH ISLAND CASE (Per Press Association.) GORE, this day. A case of considerable interest concluded .before Air W. IT. Freeman, S.M.. in the Gore Magistrate’s Court Jast evening, when .John Slater Shaw, James Slater Shaw, and .lolm* George Shaw, extensive innholders of Balfour and Mandevillc, were proceeded against on (sf> informations of alleged sheep ■dealing ami breaches of - the Stock Act.

The evidence for the informants alleged that the accused, during the past three seasons, had carried out the practice of marking and tailing ill lambs found on the property, irrespective of whether they belonged to neighbors or themselves, Lambs were tailed and earmarked with their brand, and • wool appropriated and sold as their own.' ‘ Sheep also had been turned out in paddocks to feed with their own fl6ck, Some branded and some not, but none of tin* earmarks were interfered with. ’

The discovery originated in a surprise visit paid by Parsons, a neighbor, who had gone to the yards while shearing was in progress. Later lie saw John Slater Shaw, senior, who said that none of the Glcnure sheep were among the sheep yarded. ' As a result of’ a subsequent muster, 121 sheep were found which belonged to neighbors, some shorn and some not. These were taken by their owners, who claimed the value of the fleeces and the lambs which must have been running with the wet. ewes. The claims wore paid by the accused.

DRY SEASON BLAMED The practice of farmers was to pit: aside all stragglers with lambs found in the flocks, but what the accuse*! had done was to tail and earmark all of them. They thus lost thei; dentity, ami their value was then asked for. It. was fu;tlier alleged that in i. statement to the police, one of the i. cased said his rathei told him to hear all straggler'. as their neighbors did likewise. Evidence for the accused showed i.lutt, due to the unusually dry season. : f here were more srHigglers las: ye:u chan was customary. The aceu.-od rail good sheep, ami the si Higglers wer<* i very small percentage. It we .mu lhe practice in the district for laimcr.!o advise their neighbors when they in- ■ ended to shear. When shearing did occur, stragglers were put on one side and returned to their owners. The accused had no intention to steal. The muster was forced on the accused during the middle of shearing, and before they had an opportunity to oturn the stragglers. All shorn unbranded sheep were retained in a pandock on the home farm to be returned at the first opportunity. The magistrate reserved judgment. On further charges of having shorn stray sheep and failing* legibly to brand the same on the head with the registered brand, pleas of guilty were entered, and the penalty reserved.