CHARGE OF SHEEP STEALING.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1923, Page 4

CHARGE OF SHEEP STEALING.

AX EXTRAORDINARY CASE. TiLK.XHRIM. August lti. An extraordinary fuse occupied the intention of tin- Magistrate's Court i.t Blenheim to-day. Two young women named Trone Francos AI; i y Campbell, aged 20, and Mary Ann Campbell, aged l!>. were charged on three founts ol sheep-stealing, while their tnother, l’utilimena Caroline Campbell, was charged with receiving the stolen sheep. (Urn of the charges was withdrawn and! the three accused, who pleaded guilty on the others, were : II committed for sentence.

The three aceu-ed were then charged on four counts of breaking and enterjug various houses in the Sound and

stealing a gicaf variety of objects ranging from a leleplu ne instrument in one ea-e. to a kitchen table in another, and including blankets. knives and forks, wire-netting, carpenter’s tools and n host of other articles. It was ultimately agreed that the charges of breaking and entering should he reduced to common theft, and the values cf the various groups ol ai tit les m*-ii-tined in each charge were reduced to tv, v i that the eases might he dealt with summanly, and might he brought within the jurisdiction of the Justices who presided. Mr F. E. I’eid. who ap| o.'i'ed for t K e accused. siu-r ceded in so sinking the idcntiiicrt ion of man.'. < ' the articles mentioned in Ih" "hiogi-. 1 lint their Worships held tli.it • law ■ . ... nol satislied with the evidence in ivspcel to these j iirtictdur iicm- and dismissed those charges. Finally i!:e accused were convicted on two counts ol e::mmoii limit and they were lemandcd for sentence until alter they have been dealt with by the Supreme Court on die ma jor oiiem etf -dioop-slealing. The Supreme Court th es not sit in Bleuli.im iimil November, and their Worships allowed hail mu i I that time the accused to report to the | olive liy letter once a fori night. The evidence submit led ill connexion

wit ii the various changes revealed a nic.-l amazing state of things. and showed that the Campbell's have apparently no respect for any man ma le laws. The old lady kiep> a farm at Carnes liny. iVloroiis Sound, the locality being locally known as the World’s End. It is a poor sort of place and the evidence showed that she was gravely embarrassed financially. The two girls admitted in statements made tn the police that on several occasions they had rowed at night to their lieign- j Pour’s properties mid had secured tip to half a dozen sheep at a time, and had conveyed them in the boat to their own plate, where they shore and killed and skinned them, apparently as ex- j pertly as any Imtelier. before seeking a . well-earned night's rest-. The carcases were used for mutton for the family it weie hulled down for tallow, etc. The v. ol was sent to Wellington for yah l , fly day the girls spoilt a good deal of ; time idling round the Sound in their j boat, lishiug and .swimming, and if they j observed a house, tile owners of which . weie absent, they apparently had no scruples about ransacking it. Both; the girls are of the athletic type and . are well known for their swimming and j fishing exploits in the Sound. They I are of a not iinattiaeiive type. The tliroc women were arrested hy Aon-; stable Miiehcil oil Augu-t Ist., and, have been in custody since, and it appears thill nine they weie locked no, the neighbours for miles around look advantage of their abseme to visit . Carnes Hay. and search for possibly - stolen goods. Some idea of the 'tain i t things mthis connexion was jbe ( ; reined from Mr Reid’s rTos-'-cxainmnlinii of (.no- • stable .Mitchell. ; Mr Reid: How many people ai-eum-j pained you to Mr- Campbell's In)u -*• ’ on .v.igust Bth.. a week after she had , b 'eit taken into custody. j Witne- 111" whole Incoming <l l -- : trie: -atin* along. J.'id on extend i general U.i italics: ' \ - There was no m-cil. people crime idling to see if they could find their -101 l n property. How hi up v.'io'e there altogether?

How many of them had made com plaints of mis-ing properly to you ?- five of them.

Tie'll \ !l<) IVCI'O till- utile!' eight ! - .Settler- ill the district. Wiiii t were (liny doing thi'ivl. 'iiliin;.': I. r dogs h Ih.li lii:-1 ].• •. n woiryin;; 11:;• i;• .sheep. '! in- Campbell'.- have iiiih dog- which lii'nkc away ami Here u Driving their sheep, mid I suppose some

ui them were traced iiiiiuc. Anyhow you allotted 12 nr 111 pee, pie 111 on i.ll over tile place, though 'he owners were in eiistotlt l —f hurl no porter to stop them. It suited me vli.it they should go tlieie to ilear up : lie thefts.

Do you know whirl has hoon taken out el the lioii-o ’■ 1 Know all that has taken out h liile l was there. I can't say what litis heen taken miiic.

The .'•'enior-Sergeant : Charlie I.ail'd, another of the family, was not arrested. Where is he? Witness: I think he's going still. ( I.slighter.) Commenting on this evidence, Air lieid drew the attention of the Bench to tile fact that after tile licensed had heen in eiistodv a week, t unstable .Mitchell and ‘Tht; whole of the Sounds" held a sort of conversazione at Mrs v umpheM's house, and attempted to identify all sorts of things.