Wholesale Sheep Stealing

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 November 1915, Page 2

Wholesale Sheep Stealing

OPERATIONS IN \ K TORI A. From to time ivilhiu tho last mo or thru; yeais, says the Melbourne 'Age,' remarkable statements nave been pll oil .shod as to the wide and. sweeping operations ot sheep stealers who were alleged to have been -raiding extensive grazing areas, especially j'' the thickly scrubbed, sandy territory known locally as the "Little Dosser." jhe business was carried on to such an extent, and with such immunity from punishment, that tanners and graziers throughout the district affected became gieatly alarmed. Recently there has been a renewal of these complaints. Details of losses sustained by many ol ihe settlers were published in tho ! -'Age ; - a few weeks ago. it was th.-n slutedi that about 2800 sheep were missing Since that time, however, other i armors have mustered their flocks, and considerable losses have ueen reported a- the district police stations. Reports received at Kaniva, Murtoa and Goroke show that over 64U0 sheep are missing, while other losses have been notified at iiorsham. Nearly all the missing sheep and several thousand in addition were turned into holdings in the "Little Desert," which is a tract ol scrub territory south of Kaniva and Nhili, and extending I i-om near Diinboola to tho South Australia border. The holdings are leased to the stock owners at a normal rental by the Government. They are insecurely fenced. Early last spring, when Iced was scarce, sheep were turned into tlie desert in thousands, and it was inevitable that the flocks of the different owners should, become mixed. II is tho practice of the different sheep owners, when about to muster prior to .shearing, to notify their neighbours oi the event, so that they may attend the mustering and sort out their sheep. This arrangement was adhered to this season ,and when the work of mustering had been completed it was found that each owner had lost hundreds of. sheep. Owing to the severe drought, allowances were mad.e lor a higher mortality than usual, but, even making reasonable deductions for drought losses, each owner found that bis flock was smaller by several hundreds than lie had supposed it to be. A thorough search of the holdings was made by the owners, but all efforts l'j find the sheep or traces of them were unavailing. The sheep retrieved 1 rom the scrub by the musterers were in good condition ,and this, coupled with tho fact that very tew carcases were discovered about the holdings, eonvince I the owners that sheep stealers were systematically raiding their holdings. They immediately reported the matter to the police, audi Detective Piggott was sent up by tho Criminal Investigation Department to make inquiries. Details of the losses reported by tho different owners who turned sheep into the "Little Dessert" are:— V Vnl.lfl

.NiiiMJer Number Ke- Val.ie Turned in. ported Stolen. £. 1/137 700 600 1,058 (370 o00 4,000 630 600 - 193 165 — 100 160 — 400 o00 — 100 150 4,300 * 1,300 2,100 j—apwiiw mnv*