CATTLE RUSTLERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23317, 28 September 1945, Page 3

CATTLE RUSTLERS

Armed Vigilantes Organised SYDNEY. Sept. 4. Cattlemen on the big stations near Bowen, Queensland. 700 miles north of Brisbane, have organised vigilantes to deal with cattle rustlers who are preying on their herds. There is no evidence that the lustlers are operating as a gang and property owners suspect that the thieves are small groups of Army deserters who have taken refuge in the hills and leave their hideouts to cut out a few head of cattle which they sell to unscrupulous dealers in the neighbouring towns. When it was noticed that cattle were disappearing, station owners appealed to the State police. Mounted troopers were dispatched to the area, but the owners say they were inexperienced and were not provided with horses which could cope witli the wild country in which the rustlers worked The police failed to track a single rustler and cattle continued to disappear The iwners then organised cattlehands and jackeroos into vigilantes and mounted them on bush horses reared in the country. All skilled bushmen, hard riders, and crack shots, the vigilantes were ready at a moment’s notice to dash for the hills at the first report that the rustlers were again operating The vigilantes work in pairs with their rifles at the ready. They have sworn to mete out summary justice if they catch up with the cattle thieves They theat.en to deal similarly with traders who buy stolen cattle.