MAGISTRATES COURT, HAMILTON.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 330, 20 August 1898, Page 2

MAGISTRATES COURT, HAMILTON.

Yesterday—(Before Captain Jackson, S.M.). SHEET WORRYING. The Court was occupied during the greater portion of yesterday hearing the case H. Yickera v. F. Hunt, junr., claim £7 l*2s for 19 sheep killed by defendant's dogs. Mr Bucklaud appeared for plaintiff, and Mr L. O'Neill for the defence. H. Vickers gave evidence as to the loss of 19 sheep, which he believed to have been killed by Hunt's dog. The worrying took place between the 4th and Oth of July. The sheep were running in the College Reserve, Hamilton, and on July 6th he saw a number of freshly-killed sheep. Defendant met him on that day by appointment and agreed to pjy £7 for the sheep. This he had not done. Win. Vickers, brother of the last witness, said that on the 4th July, he went to the reserve and was informed that Hunt's dogs had been among the shetp. He went to have a look at the sheep and saw the two greyhounds worrying the animals. He then went off for Hunt, who afterwards caught the dogs and took them away. Witness counted 11 sheep dead on that day ; but did not go over the whole of the property. On the following day plaintiff, defendant and witness met on the ground, and Hunt and Petersen counted the live sheep and foucd '2l were missing. Hunt admitted that the dogs were his and agreed to pay for all the sheep that could not walk from the paddock. Three of the sheep worried had since recovered, Peter Petersen, who was working at the College Reserve, said that on the '2nd of July the greyhounds were worrying the sheep. He sent word to Hunt, who came along and whistled off the dogs. On the 4th they were again among the sheep, and on that diy lie saw Hunt catch the dogs and take them a\jay. He saw about a. dozen dead sheep, but the ground was rough and he did not go over the whole of it. There might have been more. He and Hunt counted theliveabeep on the road, and found '2l were missing. He heard defendant agree to pay for the sheep ; but when the amount £7 was mentioned, said he thought it was too much. Witness thought 8s a-hcad was a reasonable price. The defendant in his evidence said he bought two greyhounds in Cambridge on the 25th of June ; but as liia father would not allow him to keep them he shot them on June 80th. He denied having agreed to pay for the sheep and said he counted the live sheep simply because Vickers asked him to do so. He was on the reserve with the two Vickers and Peterson ; but he never caught the dogs there, they were on tin road near Hines'. Vickers asked him for £7 ; but he refused to pay, as his dogs had not killed any sheep. F. Hunt, senr., stated that his son brought home two greyhounds on Saturday, the '2oth of June. Witness would not allow him to keep them and on the following Thursday defendant borrowed a gun and shot the dogs. Vickers complained about the dogs worrying the sheep on the 27th of June, and this was why witness ordered the dogs to be destroyed. Geo. Coombes stated that he assisted Hunt to tie up and destroy the dogs on the Thursday. Charles Martelli swore that on Sunday, June '2Bth, he went to the Reserve and saw nine dead sheep there, but they had been dead a long time. Capt. Jackson said there was no doubt the worrying had taken place, but he had a doubt as to the number of sheep killed, and gave judgment in favour of the plaintiff for £4 10s and costs, £1 IOS. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. Rebecca Parker, a married woman, was charged, on the information of Sergt. Stapleton, with having, at Tuhikaramea, on the lilth May last, unlawfully attempted to commit suicide. The evidence, which was somewhat voluminous, showed that Mrs Barker, who suffered from inflammation and neuralgia, had been in the habit of taking laudanum for the last 15 years. On the date in question Mrs Barker took an overdose of laudanum, but, whether accidentia or otherwise, there appeared to be considerable doubt.

Capt. Jackson, giving the accused the benefit of the doubt, dismissed the case.