ALLEGED SHEEP-STEALING.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 June 1920, Page 5

ALLEGED SHEEP-STEALING.

CHARGE AGAINST OKAU FAJUtfpjS ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR George Payne, farmer, of Ok*u, #Jji charged before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, 6£h| at the Magistrate's Court yesterdays m having, between November IS, 191%'1h| May I, 1920, stolen 19 sheep, tehUjllH £32 Is, the property of Scott Br«h, further, on May Ist, with being fotodS| possession of sheep-skins upon which tKfl ears had been out or defaced ' "Iffl Sub-Inspector Hutton condtoctedf • d| case for the police, and Mr. B. H. Qtdflj liam appeared for defendant. Sub-Inspector Hutton, in opening ttoi case for the prosecution, said toe 1 was a married man with a wile and ily, and resided on Jxia farm at farm adjoined that of Scott BrothtfSf Between the dates mentioned, ScofciwH thera missed altogether 19 sheep, BUtTfijl which were ewes. On April 80 tuH noticed a disturbance amongst and other signs, and in conSßqtn>jm*i«jS what they saw, informed the police. •, ij police constable visited the farm, tgi tj eheep-skins were found, on which It had been mutilated in such a way titi the marks were unrecognisable. Mr «§ liafn Scott recognised amongst in sheepskinß two which he had bought. accused said he had purchased the in 1918, but was very backward in ing his answers to the police, is cases having first to discuss the nattef j with his wife." The ears on all the efclM ivere badly cut about, and none fcdr* ae< cused's registered mark. Evidence was given by Frank WUUaa Sutton, inspector of stock and. regittrai of brands, who handed in copies of accused's registered mark, and also the ftp gistered marks of Scott BftfS., Vt.'VL Foreman, and William Greenwood. js'| had examined the skins concerned in 'tkM charge, and found one on which the eefl appeared to have Greenwood's mark anh j another with a mark similar .to Mr. \ man's. None of the skins bore accused ■; complete mark. - | To Mr. Quilliam: Efforts were lining \ made to find some better means of, den* tification thftn ear-marking, but 'o far : no better scheme had been brought for* I ward- The present difficulty was in re j ■ marking sheep which had previously been « marked by someone else. To the Magistrate: Sheep change hand*. so much nowadays that many people do not put earmarks on bought ■jHeep unless ' they intended holding them for some time. They chanced the brand. i To gub-inspector Hutton: In the ordi-

nary course ho would not espect to find -} ten skins from a farmer in so mutilated 1 a condition as the ones concerned in thfl I charge. Evidence in regard to the.markl | on the skins and accused's deniedfiour in J answering questions was given by Wil> 1 liam Scott, Arthur Scott, Wlllhtffl Qf4tn-, wood and William Smith, of Okau, neighbors of accused. .j Constable Hugh. Bkikie said that, \ when questioned, accused said they had '< fallen from where they were hanging In j the cart shed, and the dog had cheW«4,l the ears off. Witness was satisfied Hut jl the ears had been cut off. This concluded the case for the prose- «j cution. Mr, Quilliam contended that no facie case had been made out on thtt' charge of theft. The only evidence at, theft was that the skins were found in l accused's possession with no marks 41** tinguishable on them. Counsel ted that no jury would convict on the' flimsy evidence offered. - The Magistrate admitted that it wati not a strong case, but aaid was sufficient for the case to'B4 Supreme Court. He agreed to deaj w«8 the second charge summarily after tihfcj sitting of the Supreme CoUft, and fljM'j the hearing for August 26th. • On the charge of sheep-Stealing, ttf'j cuaed pleaded not guilty, aftd reserved: his defenoe He was committed to Supreme Court for trial, bail being.at-j lowed in his own recognisance of £BO. - ~ ' • l '] ,lt;l