THEFT OF LAMBS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 20 July 1929, Page 7

THEFT OF LAMBS

THREE MEN FINED

(By Talfctrr»sh—Prww Association)

INVERCARGILL, 19th July. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday William Warnoek, John Warnock, ami Christopher Owen Cooper, pleaded gi ilty to a charge of stealing two lambs valued at 30s each, the property of John Gunn, sen., a farmer.

Detective-Sergeant Hewitt said that Gunn jun., counted the lambs on 7th June and found the number correct. Two days later two lambs were missing. A search disclosed that the two lambs had been killed and skinned in ihe bush. 'J’be Detective-Sergeant visited Warnocks’ house at Winton. The Warnoeks denied the offence, but it was unfortunate for them that some chops "were being fried at, the time for which they could not account. Finally, Cooper admitted the offence, and dug up a portion of one of the lambs from i is garden. In the Warnoeks’ garden another portion was found buried m a sack. The men had all made statements, and one had said that while they were | laving cards someone had suggested that tl ev get a sheep. This was significant, as farmers’ in Winton complained that sheep were being taken. Winton was a- small place, and it was not likely that there were any more sheep dealers tncie. The men had stated that they had been drinking. Cooper was fined £lO and ihe \ arnocks £ls each, but on being i,,homed that the latter nad spent a -reck m custody. the Magisitilc reduced fi.e fines to £1.2 each.