CHURCHES DESECRATED

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19759, 14 December 1935, Page 12

CHURCHES DESECRATED

POULTRY THIEVES’ ACTION. THREE CASES REPORTED. Poultry thieves have , desecrated church buildings in the Upper Fcndallon and Harewood districts during liio past fortnight, says the Christchurch Sun-Star. After raiding poultry farms, they have, cleaned their plunder in church buildings, littering them with feathers. r l he first case occurred more than a week ago. Fowllmuse.s in the Yaldhursl district were raided, and the hird-.s taken lo the small building in f.oringa Road which is used for Church Services. Here the thieves cleaned Ihe poultry, scattering the feathers ami cleanings all over the building. The ■second raid, apparently byUlie same gang, was made last Wednesday on the fowl ho uses of Mr L. Keariio", Harewood Road. Twelve fowls ami an old pel. RulT Orpington rooster were taken. This time the birds were cleaned in the .Methodist Church at Harewood. The kerosene healers were used to singe them, and the place was filtered in the same manner as the building in Coringa Road.

A Return Visit. On Thursday members cleaned the church thoroughly. Ou Friday they found that the building had again been used by the thieves. Cleanings from the poultry were scattered all over the walls, and the cover of the Bible on the pulpit luid been used for wiping purposes. It had heen replaced with blood-stained newspaper. A cylinder from a heater was missing, curtains had been pulled down, and other damage was done. The body of the pet rooster, which had evidently been regarded as too old for cooking, was found under the building.