SHEEP STEALING

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1920, Page 4

SHEEP STEALING

GREYMOUTH, Feb. 2.

At the Magistrate’s-,Court this morning before E. G. Levvey, S.M., Daniel Stanley Joseph and Herbert Edgar Bright were charged with stealing ono slufcep and lamb, valued at £4 and owned by Air W. Mallinson, Aratika, Mr Joyce appeared for the defendants and ' asked that the charges he taken summarily. It appeal's that from W. M. Mallinson’s 7000 aero run, sheep have been continually disappearing. On the 18th December last Mallinson surprised two men carrying a suspicious looking hag which when they spotted him they dropped and retreated into the hush. Tho bag which the defendants seemed so eager to rid themselves of, contained the carcass of a sheep and a lamb. This was not the first time sheep had disappeared, and Alallinson , was growing quite accustomed to finding sheep skulls and bones scattered about his land. The two accused were subsequently interviewed by Detective Sergeant Ward, and admitted the. killing of the sheep and lamb, which they alleged that they thought were wild.

• Air W. Joyce, for the defence told the same story, as follows. Joseph was having great trouble with a wild cow that had even gone as far as to charge his wife ,who fortunately was agile enough to escape injuries. The cow wandered away one fine day, and with rifles, hag, and a pack horse, Joseph and Bright set out to find and finish the animal. It was during this excursion that they noticed a sheep on the edge of a steep cliff which they shot and skinned, thinking it a wild sheep. Oil previous occasions Bright had seen wild unshorn sheep out Lake Brunner way. He asked that as both wore married men with families, and as both had previously held good characters that onlv a smll fine be inflicted.

Detective Sergeant Ward said tho wild cow episode evidently came as an after thought, for it was not mentioned to him at the time. The Magistrate said he regarded sheep stealing as a serious offence. Ho could not with justice accept the plea put forward, hut on this occasion it would not bo gaol, but a £6 fine, payment of expenses and the value of the goods stolen.