SHEEP STOLEN

Hokitika Guardian, 15 March 1927, Page 3

SHEEP STOLEN

missing flock; traced. DUNEDIN. March 11. Charged that on or about February l7th last, he stole at Surrey Hills. Mayfield. 413 ewes valued at £826. the property of the Bank of New Zealand. Vivian fumes Adlan, alias Robert Tims. Ferguson, appeared before Mr If. W. Bundle. S.M.. in the Police Court this morning. He was defended

by Air IC. J. Simpson, instructed by Air A. C. Hanlon. John Tennant Smellie, manager of the Surrey Hills Estate, formerly owned by Air Douglas AVriglit. and now controlled by the Bank of New Zealand, said tlir.t on one block of the estate lie placed 1300 ewe sheep. He mustered these on February 25th and discovered there were about -100 missing. These were

branded with a ’l’ over a triangle, and the earmhrk was a back quarter. They

were mostly 2-tooth ewes with a few four and 6-tooLh amongst- them. Yesterday witness accompanied Detective Lean to a paddock at 'Palmerston and identified about 190 sheep as portion of the missing Hock. Proceeding to Mr Dougfis’s farm at- .Hayward's Point, he identified 213 ewes as the remainder of the stolen flock. The ewes were valued at £2 a head. He had never seen accused before to his knowledge, and the latter had no authority to remove any sheep from the estate. Detective Lean iiid lie found the accused in possession of about 194 halfbred merino sheep marked as described by the last witness: except three, which bore a IV.K. brand, which was also :i Surrey Hills brand. Asked who owned ■ the sheep, accused replied that they belonged to himself :md another man named Frederick Coleman, of Pleasant Point. Timni'u. his own name being J. Annat. Later he said this was not correct, and that bis name was Robert Thomas Ferguson. AY if ness nfrde in. ouries tor Frederick Coleman. but could find no one in Hie district of that name. He found the sheep had been trucked at Erling oil February 19th, consigned by someone giving the name of J. Ansel to J. ft Brion, Hampden. The sheep were taken delivery of (here by a mail giving the name of Ferguson. The sheep had then been driven to 'Palmerston, land 210 trucked to Burnside, consigned to Dulget.v and C'|>. by a man. giving tin 1 name of .1. A mint. The sheen were sold next day to Mr Douglas, of Waikomiiti. and were now at ! lay vj U'd’s Point. Ihe owners were later located. Accused sent for witness on .March Bth and said lie wished to make a statement, and in the presence of his solicitor he made a statement in writing ill

which lie 'admitted taking the sheep and consigning them as already stated. The consignment sold realised 30s a head, but he had received no money from the proceeds. No other person was implicated in the tinTi:. The accused’s correct name was Yivi ui James Adlan.

Accused pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence al the Supreme Court.

Later.—He was sentenced to two veal's’ hard labour.