THEFT OF A DOG.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20219, 1 February 1934, Page 10

THEFT OF A DOG.

Magistrate Not Impressed With Drover’s Story. Charged with the theft of a sheepdog, William Godfrey 'Stace, a drover, who appeared in the Magistrate’s Court this morning, told Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., that the dog had followed one of his from the Addington saleyards. His story failed, however, to impress the Magistrate. “ Your story doesn't hang together very well,” remarked the Magistrate, who convicted accused, and ordered him to come up for sentence within twelve months if called upon. Stace, a drover, aged thirty years, of Saltwater Creek, pleaded guilty to the theft at Addington on January 24 of a sheepdog valued at £ls, the property of Donald Cameron. Sub-Inspector Edwards said that accused, who had been arrested at Kaiapoi, had set out on January 18 to drive a herd of cattle to the Addington saleyards, and arrived there on January 24. He had three dogs, and while there bought another one—a bitch. According to accused’s story several other dogs, including the stolen dog, followed this bitch from the saleyards. When accused left Addington he consigned two dogs, one of which was complainant’s, to Kaiapoi, and then set out to return there. He was seen by the owner of the dog, but denied having seen the dog, although an hour earlier he had consigned it to Kaiapoi. Complainant was not satisfied, however, and reported the matter to the police at Kaiapoi. When interviewed accused admitted having taken the dog. He was a married man with two children, and a re--lief worker, who supplemented his work by droving. Nothing was known against accused. The Magistrate: What prompted you to take the dog? Accused: I bought this dog and several dogs started off to follow me. I got rid of some, but one persisted in following me. I stayed with friends for the night, and next morning the strange dog was still tFiere. If it turned out to be a valuable dog I intended to return it to the owner if I could find him. The dog was no good to me. I didn’t want him.