A STRANGE OCCURRENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 23, 18 July 1868, Page 3

A STRANGE OCCURRENCE.

(To the Editor of the TuapeJea Times.) Sir, — I hope you will find space in your paper for the following few lines, as, by so doing, it may be the means of solving what appears to me to be a strange occurrence. Having been ploughing some ground for Mr. James Michael at Ross's (xully, I ran short of horse feed on the tenth of this month ; and as the weather was bad it was no pleasant job to get over the ranges with a horse and cart, so I preferred taking a pack horse. Accordingly I went to Mr. M'Nickle's store, and purchased as much oats and chaff as my horse was able to carry away. I commenced my journey home a little after six p.m. ; and while proceeding along the Beaumont-road my horse made a shy, . and barely escaped going over a steep embankment, as the road is narrow, and dangerous both to man and beast. My horse feed having become disarranged, I had to half my load ; and accordingly I left some of the oats and chaff on the road side until I went down to Mr. Borrows house with the other portion When I got back, you may imagine my chagrin on discovering that I was caught with chaff only, as the oats had fled. No person had passed up or down the road during my absence excepting a certain gentleman with a light cart. It appears to me that the party who took the oats and left the chaff must have been pushed for time on the occasion, or been very hard up, to take a paltry half sack of oats. Should he "have taken this through distress or poverty, if he will return the same to me, I will give him the price of a sackfull of oats ; but if otherwise, so soon as the charge is brought home to him, I ■will make the party a little more careful in meddling with my property in future. — I am, &c, Henry Miller. Coalpit Flat, July 17, 1868. Friday, 17th February, 4,30 p.m. Since writing the above I beg to state that all suspicions and doubts are cleared up by the energetic action of our police in the matter, who found the missing property had beon left at a certain store in Lawrence waiting for an owner. Yours &c, Henry Miller.