AN OTAKI CASE.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 20 February 1920, Page 3

AN OTAKI CASE.

! ALLEGED PIG-STEALING. ACCUSED ACQUITTED. At the criminal sessions of the Pal mcrston North Supreme Court on Wednesday Marcel Knocks and Samuel Cootes were charged with the theft of two pigs, valued at £5, the property of Samuel Morgan, of Te lloro. ! Mr C. A. Loughnan conducted the ease for the Crown, while Mr Cooper represented the two accused. The following jury was empanelled: A. D. Campbell (foreman), A. J. Lund, N. J. Metcalfe, William Veen, V. J. Tucker, H. E. Prentice. E. <J. Tester, J. McCall, C. Robert, C. H. Withers, J. Creighton, and D. Clifford. James Henry Briggs, of Hautere I Cross, Otaki, said he had visited Morgan's pig-sty and saw blood marks indicating that the pigs had been killed. Later he had seen some pork at accused's place, which in his opinion was that of a domestic pig. Constable Sathcrley, Otaki, stated that in consequence of a complaint roceived from Mr Morgan he had visited his place and noticed bloodstains in tho sty, and these "he traced to a wire fence some distance away. Here there were marks of horses having been there, and he traced these to the direction of the Hautere Cross road, where he found more bloodstains. The following morning the accused 's camp was visited. The Two accused were absent. The whurcs were searched, and in one pork was found. Samuel Morgan, who alleged he was the owner of the pigs in question, gave evidouce of a mainly corroborative nature.

Fred. ,fams Ryder, farmer and exbutcher, deposed that the samples of pork were those obtained from domesticated pigs, and nut. wild pigs. Ho defined the different characteristics of the domestic a'nd wild pig. Frederick Stevenson, barman, Otaki, said he saw the two accused on horseback, outside an hotel in Otaki. They had a sack, which witness felt, and in it were two knives and an nxo. After retirement of over an hour a. verdict of not guilty was returned. The foreman pointed out there was insufficient evidence oil which to convict.