CHARGES AGAINST FARM MANAGER

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 445, 28 January 1919, Page 2

CHARGES AGAINST FARM MANAGER

Alleged Extensive Thefts

At the Pukekohe Police Court yesterday before Messrs R F. Webster and Dynes Fulton, J.P.'e, William George Hunter of Waikaretu Woodleigh, formerly manager for Messrs Binney and Button, farmers, Weraroa, appeared on remand from Auckland on tko following charges, viz " That on or about February 12, 1918 at Weraroa, he did kill and steal the carcase of one steer valued at £5; that on or about April 3rd, 1918, he did steal one case of benzine valued at 30s ; that on or about April sth, 1918, he did steal one bag of grass seed, valued at £l3 ; that on or about May 10th, 1918, he did steal 19 sheep, valued at £2B 10s; that on or about 3rd September 1918 he did steal manures to the value of £8 4s. all the property of his employers, Messrs Frank Binney and Parry Sutton. He was further charged with stealing about May 10th, 1918, one sheep, valued at 30s; about December 9th, 1918, 48 sheep, valued ot £72; and about December 14th, 1918, 20 sheep, valued at £3O; all the property of Alexander Dunlop McCardle, farmer, Weraroa. Sergeant Cowan, prosecuted, Detective Gourley also being present in Court. Mr H. G. R. Mason, on behalf of Mr Allan Moody, appeared for accused, who pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Cowan in outlining the facts of the case said that accused was last year acting as manager for Messrs Binney and Sutton and during that time it was alleged he stole benzine, grass seed, cattle and sheep Accused later on left the employ of Messrs Binney and Suttan and went to the Tauranga district, and after his departure the alleged thefts were detected.

Parry Sutton was the first witness called, and his evidence was to the effect that the accused, who was a returned soldier, was engaged by him and his partner, in 1916, as working manager for their farm at Weraroa, but had no authority to make sales on their behalf. The witness then detailed the discovery that after accused had left their employ, stock, manures, etc, as mentioned in the charges, were found to be missing from the farm. He further deposed that last December he bought a line of sheep from accused, some of which were subsequently claimed by Mr McCardle as his property. George Manson, farmer, of Te Akau, stated that in April he carted some benz : ne from Binney and Sutton's farm to Mr McCardle's farm He also assisted accused to kill a steer, but did not know what becam "s of the meat. In June last he bought 20 sheep from accused thinking that accused was acting as Binney and Sutton's agent, the sheep being, in December, identified by Messrs Binney and Sutton, by earmarks as belonging to them. Charles Thomas Rehall, stationmaster at Tuakau, spoke to some 126 sheep having, on December 12th last, been consigned by accused from Tuakau station to Mr P. Sutton at Westfield.

Henry Curd a member of the firm of Messrs Cooper and Curd, Pukekohe, rela'ed that last Easter he was at Messrs Binney and Sutton's farm, and running short of benzine for his car, he bought a case from accused for £l, which sum was deducted from an account that the accused owed his firm.

Samuel Marshall, farmer, of Weraroa, stated that last September he bought some bonedust from accused for for potato planting, the 10s being deducted from a sum of £3 the accused owed him.

Two Maoris, named Materoa and Rawhiri Te Anau respectively, both of Weraroa, deposed that in July or August last they purchased some manures from accused, Materoa paying him £1 and Rawhiri £2 for the same.

Arthur F. Merrychurch, farm labourer, oi Papatotoe, stated that in March of last year he was in Binney and Sutton's employ at Weraroa, and saw a bullock being killed by the accused and the witness Manson. Under the accused's instructions, he delivered the meat to different n Mghbours Thomas Bell, farm labourer, of Woodleigh, spoke to having bought from the accused soms oOlbs. of beef some time during last winter, paying him 6d per lb. for it. Alexander Dunlop McCardle, farmer, of Mangere, deposed that he owned a large Mock of land at Werarnn. La9t February he bid about 1800 ewes with the rams on the fare, but on mustering them, in November," they were ab~ut 120 short. Ho subsequently identified some sheep on Binney and Sutton's farm at Weraroa, and on Mr Finch's farm at Woodleigh, as his propeaty, and simi'atly he identified, at a place at Whitford, leased by Mr Sutton, 18 sheep as belonging to him. Ho identified them by the earmarks. Evidence corroborating that of the previous witness was given by Alfred John Teagu?, Mr McCardlo's farm manager. George Finch, firmer, of Woodleigh, spoke to having purchased 25 sheep, at 16s per head, from the accused last December.

Detective Gourley deposed to having, oa the 13th inst, m company with Constable Taylor, interviewed tha accused in Auckland. Accused made a confession and signed it, and wax then arretted,

Constable Taylor, of Tuakau, gave evidence as to the steps he had taken to trace the different matters in connection with the charges. He also corroborated Detective Gourley's evidence as to the accused signing a confession, accused also stating that he h*d not stolen all he was credited with, as a number of sheep he had bought were amongst those he had sold. Constable Taylor added that accused hal in a great many wayd in trying to clear the matter up. The accused's written confession, which was read, stated that he took some sheep from Mr McCardle's pad-

dock, probably about 60, and sold them to Mr Sutton at 22a each in trucks at Tuakau. The 20 sheep he sold to Mr Manson he took from off Messrs Binney and Sutton's farm. Ee did not give Messrs Binney and Sutton the money he had received for the sheep and he had no authority to sell sheep or cattle from off the farm. He admitted selling a bag of grass seed to Mr Manson, a tin of benzine to Mr Curd, a bag of manure to MrS. Marshall, and some manure to the Maoris Rawhiri and Materoa, the same all belonging to Messrs Binney and Sntton. The accused, who reserved his defence, was committed on all the charges for trial at the Bupreme Court to open in Auckland next Monday. Bail waa not applied for.