A Sheep Incident.

Taihape Daily Times, 13 February 1918, Page 5

A Sheep Incident.

360 ANIMALS SMOTHERED.

A most unfortunate occurrence took place at Wainui on Monday night, which led to the loss' of some valuable sheep. It appeHrlTthat a mob or sheep bought from Mr. Gr. Wheeler, were put into the yard's at Wainui, about a quarter of a mile from tne road junction, on Monday night. The drover made them secure, fastening the gate on the latch side with wire. On Tuesday morning it was soon evident that a disaster had occurred, as the yard was practically empty, an» on looking down the declivity, just outside the gate, there was disclose® at the bottom of thU"gully OTe carcases of the s'heep piled up one on top or the other, and smothered. Efforts were quickly made to clear the carcases, when it was discovered that 360 prime sheep were dead. The loss is a severe one, as the sheep were 4th, 6th, and f.f.m animals which had been purchased only a day or two before for about 30s apiece, rt is surmised that dogs were the cause of the trouble, as one sheep was found in the yard torn from brisket to head, and another with its side mutilated. Evidently the sheep had been worried by dogs, and jambed against the gate which was lifted off its hinges, and was only held by the wire on the other side. Th e gafe-once opened the path to destruction was clear, the sheep being forced over the crest of the gully to the bottom, where they were quickly piled up, one on top of the other, with the unfortunate result above mentioned. We learn this Is the third accident of the kind which has occurred in this locality.