PIGS MISSING AT OMATA

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1929, Page 14

PIGS MISSING AT OMATA

cj PROSECUTION OF FOUR MEN ; CASE AGAINST THREE ADJOURNED H— — ■ : J OFFENDERS’ YOUTH CONSIDERED. The disappearance of a number of pigs from the farm of Mr. E. D. Ans- . ... ford, Omata, led to the prosecution of four youths, Patrick Keenan, Kenneth Gilbanks, Claude William Gilbanks and -v- Mekameka Meihana, before Mr. R. W. Tate,-S.M., in the New Plymouth Police , t Court on Saturday. AU were charged with stealing a pig valued at £4, and ',’y Meihana and the two Gilbanks were •( i; alternatively charged with receiving the pig, knowing it to have been stolen. Keenan was convicted and discharged ■ and the charges against the other three ... ( were held over until after the Christinas vacation to allow the payment of £4 14s into court to cover the Value of the pig and’ expenses. Mr. Tate said . ,'f .he would then reconsider the matter, though he was anxious it should not become the public idea that an adjournment meant the glossing over of the offences. He could convict the defendants ; and send them -to gaol if he thought fit, but because they were young he would give them consideration. Mr. L. M. Moss appeared for Keenan, Mr. A. A. Bennett for the Gilbanks, and Mr. I. Roy for Meihana. All pleaded not ■ guilty and elected to be dealt ' with - summarily. Detective Meiklejohn conducted the prosecution. Ansford said last winter he had the ; X lease of certain Harbour Board land, • about 150 acres, separated from his own . property by a small strip of land. The leased land ran up to Ngamotu Road. a "A. number of pigs ho kept were run on . this property and often wandered across a stream to the leased land. He found - on counting the pigs that he had lost .• a number. Gilbanks held land about 25 chains away. • | < ACCUSED INTERVIEWED. . Sergeant McGregor said that on November 11 he interviewed Keenan, who made a statement to the effect that he was at Gilbanks’ house and was told by Kenneth. Gilbanks that there were Wild pigs at Paritutu, and, according to an advertisement in the papers, could be shot. They went out and Keenan • shot and took one to Gilbanks, where it was skinned. He did not see Gilbanks shoot any pigs. On December 12 witness and Detective Meiklejohn interviewed Kenneth . Gilbanks, who said he knew nothing of .any pigs being shot; none was shot by Keenan and none was brought to his home. Later he admitted one had been . ehot by Keenan and taken to Keenan’s . home; then said it was skinned in a back room at Gilbanks. He made" a > statement to the effect that they went out intending to shoot hares, but when they were in the lupins Keenan bor- - rowed his shotgun, went away and • ehot a black pig. Gilbanks said he would have nothing to do with it; but it was taken to the . house, and portion of it was taken ■ a,way by Keenan. He had not told Keenan that there was an advertisement in ■ the paper concerning the shooting of the • pigs, and did not know to whom they • belonged. Four days later the sergeant saw Meihana, who said that when they were near Paritutu he saw a hare and told • William Gilbanks to go back for a shotgun. A little later he heard a shot, •• and when he went back he found Keenan beside a black pig. He told Keenan he should not have shot the pig, but • Keenan said it was a wild pig and it was all right to shoot it. When the pig -was cut up, a ham was given to Mrs. • Gilbanks, who threw it outside; and one was given to Meihana, who took it away but got rid of it in a lagoon. ■The pig shot was nothing like a wild one. KNEW IT WAS WRONG. Constable Scannell, Manaia, said he interviewed Claude Gilbanks, who said that when out with Keenan after hares someone called out that there were pigs about. Keenan grabbed the gun out of his hand and disappeared, and though •he heard no shot fired, Keenan came out with a dead pig on his shoulder. Gilbanks said he had nothing to do with the killing of the pig, and knew it was wrong. Detective Meiklejohn said that when -’1 he interviewed Kenneth Gilbanks he *said the pig was taken to Keenan’s house, but after Mrs. Gilbanks had been T 1 Been, Kenneth admitted what had hap- ‘ ipened. When later Kenneth was again - seen, he admitted some of the pig was cooked by his mother and that he might | have oaten some.. ’ • Mr. Moss: When.you saw. Keenan you

virtually accused him of taking 40 pigs. Detective: I knew something about 40 pigs. Mr. Moss said that from the detective’s remark it was a pity the boys other than Keenan had been brought to run the risk of a conviction through what was apparently ignorance on Keenan’s part. It was not unusual even for a normal man to make a mistake with regard to wild and tame pigs. A tame pig under such circumstances could easily be mistaken for a wild pig. Counsel thought Keenan honestly believed that he was shooting a wild pig. It had been admitted by the police at the last Supreme Court that Keenan was not normal, and that was true. As for the other men,' it had been inferred that Keenan could net have carried the pig by himself, but Keenan was prepared to "o into the box and swear that ho did carry it on his own. The magistrate: If Keenan is what you say, it is a pity he had a rifle. Mr. Roy said Meihana in his statement had admitted he received a portion of the pig, and by so doing was a receiver of stolen goods. But he thought Meihana took the piece offered only to save Mrs. Gilbanks because of the presence of the pig in her house.

The magistrate: So far as the younger Gilbanks is concerned I don’t consider it serious.

Mr. Bennett said that though the evidence amounted to a prhna facie case against Kenneth Gilbanks, this was not a case in which he should be besmirched by a conviction, even for receiving. Keenan had frankly, and quite properly, admitted that he was responsible for the whole thing—-he shot the pig, carried it, and cut it up. The others were only involved in receiving some of it and eating some of it. Kenneth Gilbanks had not told the truth when first approached, but a liar was not a thief. Mr. Tate said he did not agree with all that had been said. There was no knowing how • far ’ such actions might go. There was Mr. Ansford to be considered; was he to suffer loss?

Mr. Bennett said his clients were morally responsible, and the responsibility would be borne'by those who would get their freedom. Mr. Roy answered similarly for Meihana. Mr. Tate: If Mr. Ansford loses one pig he may lose others, and people must be protected. Mr. Bennett: It must be realised that the instrument in this was Keenan, and he will be removed.

Mr. Tate: If pigs cannot be kept on a property near town without subnormal people shooting them and normal people eating them, then something will have to be done. Detective Meiklejohn: The fact is tliat about 40 or 50 pigs were stolen, and these proceedings were taken. Mr. Moss; In regard to one pig.

Detective Meiklejohn: Yes, one pig. Keenan was the mug, and the others are trying to climb on to his - back.

Mr. Bennett:' That is not a true statement of t'he position. Mr. Tate said that apart from Keenan there was complete evidence to show they received portions of the pig. He would adjourn the matter until after the holidays, when he would consider the case again. The detective said he had noticed that if defendants’ cases were adjourned they thought they would “get away with it;’ and bragged about it. Mr. Bennett: I suggest the probability in this case will bo exactly the opposite. Of course these young men will appreciate it.