SOULTORIA FOUND

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 315, 3 July 1912, Page 7

SOULTORIA FOUND

ABANDONED IN THE BUSH. HOW THE STOLEN MARE WAS TRACED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Monday. The racing mare Soultoria, which was stolen from Mr. Roulston's stables at Pukekohe, has been discovered at Te Rauamoa, a bush settlement half-way between Pirongia and Kawhia, about 100 miles from Pukekohe. On Sunday a racehorse was observed to be tethered in the bush at Pirongia with a cover on. A man endeavored to buy some fodder in the district, and suspicion was roused as to his bona fides. Realising that he was watched with suspicious eyes, the man disappeared, and evidently cast the animal adrift, for gome time later she followed two men who were on the way to Kawhia. The mare's cover had been removed. For some distance she followed the men, and then they lost sight of her. When the telegraph office opened at Pukekohe yesterday morning, a telegTam was received from Mr. A. Jones, of Hamilton, stating that Soultoria had been seen some distance from Pirongia, and a few minutes later a further telegram was received from Mr. Try, of Pirongia, asking for a description of the mare, as he believed he had seen her in his district.

Immediately on receipt of this advice, 'Messrs. W. and D. Roulston proceeded to Te Awamutu. On arrival there they found that the police had gone out earlier in the day to Te Rauamoa, and last evening they returned from that district with the mare, which Mr. Roulston at once identified as the missing Soultoria. From advice so far to hand, it appears that the thieves had clipped her so as to alter her appearance. When they found the police on their trail they dropped the mare in the Te Rauamoa district without a cover, and she was discovered there by Constable Lander amongst high ti-tree bush in a very isolated spot. It is understood that the police have a full description of the person who took Soultoria through to the King Conn-try, as on Wednesday morning last, at B.ls'o'clock. Mr. Nicoll, of Te Kowhai, saw a ninn riding past his shop leading a Taceh.orse. There appears to be no doubt that the animal'was Soultoria, and,.that the man; was taking the road through Te Kowhai so as to-' avoid the more frequented thoroughfare through Hamilton.' -When later Mr. Nicnll read a description of Soultoria in the 7 Herald, he at once identified her as the animal he had seen going past his door. At the .present juncture, the exact movements of the thieves after taking the mare are not" known, but several reports as to the animal having been seen have come to hand. Strange to say, a report has been received that a.horse answering to the description of Soultoria was unloaded from the-horse-box at Mor.rinsyine station. IMtU- the* movements' of tfie.ithieves it is pot possible to Jsjate' whether the artimaT unloaded at Morrmsville was Soultoria. ,' Mr., X ~Hftnse,JL) of that 'tQwnshjp, in a' June 20, which- , reached stated that the. hQrse,:.unlo/j.ded there bore all the, marks on her hocks that Soultoria carried, and he aljo advised that the, mare had been clipped. -. XH'ing to'.. Soultoria being a highlystrpng Mr, Roulston hjas "decided and she will he" walked ,'to'"tie : r. quarters at PukelcojUel'.'.,'',''/ " , t , T '.'-, t