HORSE-STEALING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11636, 14 August 1905, Page 7

HORSE-STEALING.

At the Police Court this morning, before Mn R. S. Stanford, S.M., Edward Raines, after being several times remanded, was charged that he did, on June 26th last, steal one horse, valued at .£l2, from Parapara, the property of Koti tv Rama. Detective Siddells conducted the case for the prosecution, and Mr Treadwell appeared on behalf of the accused. Detective Siddclls called

Koti tv Rama, who stated that he lived at Parapara. Knew the accused. Saw him at his (accused's) place at the beginning oi June last. Accused asked him to give him a horss to come to town- with, and offered to pay for the hire of the'horse, and witness agreed to let him have it." Did not give him the horse that day, but accused sent a boy for it to whom it was given. Did not see the horse again at Parapara. Again saw accused about three weeks after and tucked him where his horse was, and accused said ho had left it at, what witness understood him to say, the Headss, his reason for leaving it tkerc being that the horse's log had became injured through a fall. Asked accusad to go back and fetch lh*> horse* and accused said that he would do so. Piti ti Rikiu was present at the time of the conversation. Besides Piti, there were' his (witness 1 ) wife and family present. Saw accused again on the following Saturday, and again asked him for the horse. Ho said, "You need not be afraid about the horse; 111 fetch it." Saw accused on the Sunday, and told him he had heard that he had sold the" horse, and accused asked him who had heard that from, and witness said, "From Jack Morrow." Accused said he should not pay any attention to what lie heard. Witness said lie wanted the horse, and would give Raines three days to get it, or he (witness) would have Raines put in gaol. Witness came to town on the following Wednesday, accused accompanying him part of the way. Went to the Aramoho Hotel, where he saw his horse, which was the same as the one then outsido the Court. Valued the horse at ,£l2. Did not authorise anybody to sell the horse. Accused manages a small store at Parapara, and witness owed him a small sum of money, namely 10s, for ploughing. There was nothing said about the payment of the account when the horse was delivered to accused. 1 ' Did not give the horse in payment of the account, and still owed the 10s.

Cross-examined by Mr Treadwell, witness said he understood some English words, and others he did not. Raines understands Maori to listen to. The reason he volunteered the statement that ho did not give the horse to the accused in payment of the account was because he thought it was part of a question. Did not know how long the horse was running in Raines's paddock before he (Raines) went to Wanganui. Rodo past Raines's paddock nearly every day. Did not know, on his oath, that the horse was in Raines's paddock about a fortnight before he came to town. Remembered his first conversation with accused, and it was about four or five days after that that the boy got the horse. Did not know that the horse -was in Raines's fourteen fourteen days after Raines took the horse to town, and should say that the statement was false. Got no money from Raines at the first conversation. Could swear that the only money lie owed Raines was 10s, which was for flour and cream of tartar. Got meat from Raines on 4th May, which was in return for some he had given accused. Raines returned to his place at Pant para after he was supposed to ha\c taken the horse.

I Ngawai was then culled, and stated that ! she was the wife of the last witness. Know I accused. Saw the horse outside the Court # that morning, which belonged to her Lms*band. Could not say how long it was since she saw the hoise at her husband's. Saw accused returning from Wanganui. which would be about a month ago. Spoke to accused that day and said, "Toddy, where's the pony?" and accused said, "He come behind." Witness said, ''The horse will be here to-morrow or next day." Saw accused next morning, when he was going to Mangamahu, and accused called out. "Do you want the horse on Saturday?" Witness said she wanted it by the Sunday. To Raima, on being called, said he knew Koti le Rama, and the accused. Rememi bered seeing the two meet at his place, and heard a conversation between, them. [ Koti asked Raines whore the horse was. and Raines said he had left the horse at Wanganui as its leg -*as injured. Raines said he would return to Wanganui and fetch the horse.

Herbert Littlewood, licensee of the Aramoho Hotel, on being called, stated thai he knew the accused. Bought a horse from him on the 261h June. It was the horse outside the Court that morning. Gave £5 for the horse.

To Mr Treadwell. — Knew Raines about a month previously, but had no dealings with him.

James Siddcls, detective at Wanganui. stated tha,t on Wednesday, April 2], he arrested accused on warrant. Ho road the warrant to accused, who said, "I did not steal the horse. Koti told me to soil him to pay his stores. I was on my way to Wanganui to talk the matter over with him."

This closed the case for the prosecul ion

Mr Treadwcll explained that unfortunately two of his witnesses who promised to put in an appearance had not done so. He thought that there was sufficient evidence to justify the sending of the case to trial at the Supreme Court, but before asking His Worship to do so he would like, to call a witness. He called

- William Forsyth, storekeeper, of Mangamahu, who said he had a small store near Parapara, which in July last was in charge of Edward Raines. Had known Raines about three years, and he had been in charge of the store about eighteen months. He was previously employed by witness. Prosecutor was a customer at •witness's store. Credit would be given to a certain amount. During the time he knew accused his character was thoroughly trustworthy, and he had every confidence in him. His property was wholly at accused's discretion. Did not think accused was the sort of man who -would steal a horse. Accused was in witness's employ at the time of the alleged theft. This being all the evidence, Mr Stanford committed the accused to take his trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court here. Bail was allowed on the same sureties as before.