SHOT A HORSE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 131, 26 January 1932, Page 6

SHOT A HORSE

ANIMAL WHICH BROKE DOWN FENCE AROUND GARDEN OWNER'S SUMMARY AC.TION When he came home from seeing his sick wife, and found a horse which he alleged had already broken into his garden on a number of occasions, endeavourfing to break through the fence which he had just repaired, Nikora Mikaere, loaded a shotgun, and peppered the animal from a range of 40 to 50 yards. . As a result, he was charged in the Rotorua Magistrate's Court yesterday with cruelty to the animal and with wilfully shooting the horse with a shotgun. A plea of guilty on both counts was entered by Mr. W. A. Carter, who appeared for Mikaere. Broken Into Garden Senior Sergeant Carroll stated that the horse, which was also owned by a native, had endeavoured to break down a fence around Mikaere's garden. Apparently the horse had broken into the garden before and when Mikaere observed what it was doing, he went inside and loaded up a gun which he discharged at the animal. A number of pellets lodged in the horse, some of them drawing blood. The owner apparently took no interest in the animal but this did not "justify Mikaere in losing 'his temper and acting as he had done. Two days later, the same horse had broken into the garden again, but Mikaere had his remedy in having the horse impounded. A case of this nature could be taken to the Supreme Court and the offender dealt with by the Judge, but in view of the circum,stances, the inspector had suggested that the matter should be dealt with in the lower court.

Curming, Brute Mr. Carter said that Mikaere was a young married man. His wife had been very ill and he had been struggling along on relief work and endeavouring to get a small garden together. The horse was a very cunning brute and if it could not break down the fence with its fore feet, would sit on the wires and force it down. It was very diffieult to keep it out of the garden when there was anything to eat inside. On the date of the offence, Mikaere had just been to see his wife and was returning home considerably upset. He saw the horse in the act of breakmg down the fence which he had just .-epaired and becoming very angry had gone inside and got his gun. He had fired at the horse from a distance of about 40 to 50 yards, but the animal was now fairly recovered. Mikaere had never been in trouble before and now realised that he had committed an offence and that ,he should have taken his remedy by having the animal impounded. On the charge of using the shotgun, Mikaere was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence at any time within six months, and on the second charge of cruelty, he was convicted and ordered to pay costs amounting to 10/-.