CORRESPONDENCE,

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 51, 20 February 1880, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

■ -»■ _ [We are not responsible for the opinions of our correspondents.] .IMPOUNDING CASE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MANAWATU HERALD. Sir,— Not being allowed to make any statement in Court, may I have the privilege through your columns of statinga few facts respecting the breach of the Impounding Act, t\ H. Cook v. R. G. Knight. In the month of December I applied to nnd obtained liberty from Mr John M'Gre gor to run sheep on land of which he is part owner, telling him at the time I did no', wish to have anything to do with it if liberty had been given to any one elso to use the land. He informed me ie was free. With his consent I put 40 sheep on tho land. On the twenty-sixth Deoember I received notioe from Mr F. £L Cook to remove the sheep by the tweniy-fifth. I told him it was impossible to comply with his notice. While I was away from home, on ihe 27th of December, the she^p were seized and impounded by Mr Cook. I inton'led to let him sell them and then snu him for daniiijres. He detained the sheep for a fortnigh>, during that time depriving a household of ten of fresh meat. (As he was in the butchering business, it is possible he wished me to purchase from him). At the end of a fortnight he returned the *heep to where he drove them from. About a fortnight after I received notice that Mr Cook was again going to amuse himself with my sheep. I found him driving them off. I took them from him— hence the charge. I drove the sheep on to a piece of 1 md adjoining some held by Mi Cook from John Taipna. The piece I drove the sheep on to I have libpity to use by Wpurainvi,on beh;ilf of hi nseli, mother, and brother. About two hours after I had taken the shrep from Mr Cook, wLild I was at diuner, Mr Samuel Cook (mounted), rounded the sheep up aud drove them off the land, which land I maintain he lias nothing what over to do wiih. I followed the sheep to the river, Air F. 11. Cook doing the d.iiue, after arming himself with a lumji of firewood procured from the mill, (E did not hiippou to be throwing weight, or i may have b;fn pitched into the river). I jmid the poundage the same day ; mv wife bein_ r ill at the time, I wished to stop the unpleasantness. I wrote to Mr Cook to thai effect ; two days after I got the summons. Last October Air Cook culled on me to inform me what a kind neighbour I had been to him, and how very Horry be was I was likely to leave the district. A few weeks after Mr Co >k found 1 was in his way, and also I had occasion to inform Mr Cook that I required payment of an account that hud been running for about twelve mouths. After that Mr Cook vowed yen. gonce agairmt me, hence the annoyance 1 have received iv many ways. I need say no more than that Mr F. H Cook's character is well known, without my calling him out of name. The amount of envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableoess I have received at the Puiuka, has been so trreui that out of consideration for my family I retire from the scene at present, aud abide my time. I decline to take any actiou against him ; hu is not worth powder and shot. Trusting ho will get a bet'.er neighbour, I am, &o, R O . Knioht. Foxton, February 19, 1880.