MISSING SHEEP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 88, 14 April 1938, Page 6

MISSING SHEEP

SHOT BY WOODCUTTER TWO MEN SENT TO GAOL ( Per PrM> Aaeociat’oß. ) DUNEDIN, April 13. The shooting for food of four sheep belonging to a runholder at Berwick durihg February was admitted by Edwin Austin Irving, aged 42, in the Police Court to-day. He was sentenced by Mr J. R. Bartholomew S.M., to two months’ imprisonment and Stuart McMillan, who pleader guilty to receiving a portion of the carcases of two sheep, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. There were two sheep and two lambs shot and they belonged to John Fairley Drake, their total value being £6.

For some time Irving and McMillan had been cutting wood on Drake's property, said Chief-Detective Young. Complainant suspected that his sheep were being shot by the woodcutters and he told the police. Detective Welk and a constable searched the locality near the huts of accused, findinn skins, heads and internal organs of sheep. The earmarks on the heads were those of Drake's sheep. An admission was made by Irving that he had shot four, the meat being consumed by himself and by the other accused, who also admitted receiving portions of the sheep.

“These offences are viewed in » serious light,” commented the chief detective, “Both men have lists, irving has not been before the Court s nee 1929, but McMillan has a formidable list, having been before the Court in Wellington in the past two y< ars.”

“In the case of Irving there ar». four separate offences extending over a period of a month,” the magistrate commented. “As the chief detective has suggested, this is a very serious o'fence. The charges against McMillan s.bow that he was almost in the position of abettor." Considering the records of both men, the magistrate sentenced Irving to two months' imprisonment with hard labour and McMillan to one month’s imprisonment on each charge, the sentences in his case to be concurrent.