TAIHAPE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 35, 10 February 1934, Page 4

TAIHAPE

ALLEGED THEFT OF HORSES. Hector Roy Gourlay, alias Roy Hunter, of Auckland, appeared before Mr. K. M. Watson. S.M., at the Taihape Magistrate’s Court on Thursday to answer a charge of stealing, on March 17, 1933, at Taihape, one bay gelding valued at £3O, and one black gelding valued at £2O, the property of Elizabeth Maude Lowry, of Ohinewairua, Taihape. Accused elected to be dealt with by a jury, pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Wanganui .Supreme Court for trial. Briefly outlining the circumstances of the case. Sergeant Cleary stated that on March 16 the two horses in question were seen on the road by Mrs. Lowry between her home and Taihape. The horses were later recovered on a at Taumarunui. No person had authority to dispose of them. Elizabeth Maude Lowry, wife of Ralph Henry Watt Lowry, of Ohinewairua, was the first witness called. She remembered the 16th March, 1933. On that date she saw two of her horses on the road about one mile on the Moawhango side of her homestead. The following day the horses were missing and her husband made inquiries, but was unable to trace them. She valued the bay gelding at £SO and the black gelding at £2O. On March 30 witness went to Taumarunui and there saw her two horses on a farm owned bv Mr. Nichols. The horses were recovered on her behalf by Constable McLennan, of Taumarunui. She did not give any person authority to take the horses from the property on which she resides She did not know the accused. Accused: Is it not a fact that one of the horses was impounded at Taumarunui and valued at 30s? Witness: I don’t know. William John McAllister, labourer, residing at Pukckohe, stated in evidence that he knew rhe accused under rhe names of Roy Hunter and Roy Gourlay. He had known him for three or four years. Witness went on to state that last March, about the 16th or J 7th, he was in Taihape. He came with accused, who introduced himself Io Air. Nichols at Taumarunui as ‘ 'Hunter.' ’ <>n coming to Taihape with accused, witness saw two horses on the road about a mile from Taihape. near the new Hautapu River bridge. Accused remarked that these two horses would be useful for running in wild horses. Accused and witness camped in a house near the. bridge. They had both ridden to Taihape from Taumarunui and brought a horse each with them in addition to the ones they were riding. All the horses were put into the same paddock as the house in which rhey camped was situated. Witness again saw two strange h oses coming over the bridge Taihape just before dark, and acdSfcl told witness to chase them into this, and accused and I then went into taihape and had a meal at a lish shop. There were two young men in the shop whom we knew. Accuscdl tried to sell a bay cob to them. The cob was not one of the horses we turned into the paddock from the main road. After having a meal all four of us left iho fish shop. Accused did not mention anything about two lost horses. Later somebody rode past and said that Lonry’s horses were missing. The man did n>t stop but rode past. No description of the missing horses was given to us. The other two men left and accused told me to take the horses back to Taumarunui. He meant Lowry’s hors. I didn't want to do it and said 1 did 'r want to take them hack on my own. I knew that they were stolen horse-. He said that they would be handy foi running down wild horses. He said that I was to get the other side of Ohakune that night. Tic told me to travel i»y night as it would be cooler for the horses. He helped me catch the horses. I rode Lowry’s bay horse and the other horse of Lowry's followed. 1 also led one of my own horses, and the other horse of mine followed. I Took the horses to Nichols’ farm at Taumarunui. 1 knew that Mrs. Lowry’s two horses were subsequently claimed there by her. Later I was arrested at Taumarunui and told that Lowry s horses had been stolen. I was dealt with by the Court. 1 saw accused later in Alt. Eden goal, and he told me to say that he was not at Taihape. I made no comment. 1 was in Taumarunui a fortnight before I was arrested. Accused was supposed to meet me there within a week from the time I left Taihape with the horses hut he did not keep the appointment. The horses claimed by Airs. Lowry were the ones I actually took from Taihape. Accused: Were you charged with theft at Matamata five years ago? Witness: I came before the Children’s Court in connection with a charge involving two shillings. Accused: You are at present on two years’ probation in connection with the charge of stealing Lowry’s horses, are you not? Witnesss: Yes. Accused: You made several statements about this case, didn’t you? Witness: Yes, T made about four. To the Police: I am sure it was the

man on horseback who asked about the • missing horses, and not the two men in the fish shop. The horse ridden by • mo to Taumamnui, and which accused helped mo to catch and saddle, was , Lowry’s horse. Allen Kelly, drover. Taihape, said • that he was in Lurajud’s fish shop on March 17 having supper with a friend when accused and another young man i entered. The four of them carried on a conversation. Accused had a jump- 1 ing horse which he wanted to sell. Witness examined the horse and dis- . cussed it with him. He gave his name ; as “Hunter.” and his address “c/o ' Nichols,’’ Taumarunui. While witness i was speaking to accused witness’ : brother came along on horseback and ' said that Lowry's horses were missing ' and that, he was looking for them. | Edward William Mahood, detective. I Auckland, stated that on November 28 ; he interviewed accused at the detec •’ five office at Auckland, and accused i made a statement (produced). This concluded the evidence and ar > cused was committed for trial at the ; next session of the Supreme Court at Wanganui. Brrachna of Prohibtion Orchsri William Patrick Casey was charged with committing a breach of his prohibition order on December 26 and January 11. The police evidence was to the effect that he had been prohibited at Woodville and had come to ■ Taihape on a drinking bout. A fine of £l. with costs 10s, was imposed. Wandering Stock. A. H. Brown was fined 15s and costs 17s 6d for allowing nine cows to wan- I der at large. GENERAL NEWS Those interested iu athletics will be ■ pleased io learn that Jack Guiiliard, : Taihape s champion cyclist, has been selected to represent the West Coast . (N. 1. Centre at the New Zealand eye- i ling championships at Wellington next I •Saturday. Guilliaid is riding better j than ever this season, and it will be ' interesting to see how he fares against the leading riders in New Zealand. Apart from his ability cs a cyclist, Guiiliard is a true sport, who never i brags when victorious, and never “squeals” when defeated, and Taihape wishes him the best of luck on Satuiday next. At the conclusion of the monthly sil- 1 ting of the Taihape Magistrate's Court ’ yesterday, Mr. W. 11. Maclean, on behalf of the legal fraternity in Taihape, said that he understood that Mr. R. M. Watson, fcJ.M., was going for a holiday and Loped that he would have a pleasant and enjoyable vacation. In returning thanks, Mr. Watson said that his holiday would commence on March 1, and needless to say, he was looking forward to it very much. I and when he returned he hoped to , find the Dominion in a more prosper- i ous condition. Mr. Watson did not say how long he would be away, or where he was going, but the writer understands that he has been granted seven months’ holiday leave and in- ; tends to visit Australia, Java, the i Dutch East Indies and other places. ' Mrs. W. McA. Duncan’s garden | party in aid of the Anglican Church will be held at Ruanui to-day (Satur- ; day). Horton’s free bus leaves the Plst Office at 1.4 p.m. sharp. 1

(Country Continued on Page 7).