Farm Manager Charged With Sheep Stealing

Chronicle (Levin), 14 December 1949, Page 6

Farm Manager Charged With Sheep Stealing

^ "Hastings, Dec. 12. William Hector McHonald, aged 37, marrie'd/'the mariager of the Glenross station, pleaded not guilty in fhe Magistrate's Court today to a charge of stealing '18 sheep worth £27, the property of James North .Lowry. The theft,;was alleged to have oceurred from Omahaki station between October 18, 1946, and October 18, 1949. McBbnlad was cominitted to the Suprenie Court at Napier for the triail, bail being allowed. William Goodali, shepherd employed. • by Lowry, gave evidence of seeing seven or eight sheep in accused 's ear, eomihg from the direction of Omahaki. McDondald said he had got them from a place on Glenross station known as "The Kiwi," but witness recognised the sheep as having come from Omahaki. Witness traced car marks which terminated in the Omahaki yard. The sheep could be indentilied because of their particular breed. To Mr W. E. Bute, appearing foi accused, witness said that the road on which "he met McHonald was the nornial access road to the baek of Glen ross station. The sheep had not been branded or earmarked and there wa.-, nothing to show that they had ever been mustered. James North Lowry ' said he was taken to Glenross station by tho police and there saw 12 sheep whicb he recognised as having come from Omahaki station. The sheep were not earmarked, but witness had "• hundreds like them" and had no diffieuity in identifying them.- • Hetective A. P. Jesson gave evi dence that when he approached accused McHonald said to him: "1 wish Barney Goodali had seen me before going to the police." Accused told witness that he knew they were Lowry 's siieep and said tliey were hard to catch. He added that he had only taken them for dog food. Accused; witness added, had made and signed a atatoment in which he admitted having taken the 12 sheep from Omahaki station. Ile added that during the past three years he had taken lb sheep from Omahaki station.