SHOT FOR FOOD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1938, Page 6

SHOT FOR FOOD

SHEEP OF OTAGO RUNHOLDER. WOOD CUTTERS SENT TO GAOL. (By Telegraph—Press Association). DUNEDIN. April 13. The shooting for food of four sheep belonging to a runholder at Berwick during February was admitted by Edwin Austin Irving, aged 42. in the Magistrate’s Court today. He was sentenced by Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., to two months’ imprisonment, and Stuart McMillan, who pleaded guilty to receiving portion of the carcases of the two sheep, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment on each of two charges. There were two sheep and two lambs shot and they belonged to John Fairley Drake, their total value being £6. For some time Irving and McMillan had been cutting wood on Drake's property, said Chief-Detective Young. Complainant suspected that his sheep were being shot by the woodcutters and he told the police. Detective Wells and a constable searched the locality near the huts of accused, finding skins, heads and internal organs of sheep. The earmarks on the heads were those of Drake's sheep. An admission was made by Irving that he had shot four, the meat being consumed by himself and by the other accused, who also admitted receiving portions of the sheep. “These offences are' viewed in a serious light,” commented the chief-detec-tive. “Both men have lists. Irving has not been before the court since 1929, but McMillan has a formidable list, having been before the court in Wellington in the past two years.”

“In the case of Irving there are four separate offences extending over a period of a month,” the magistrate commented. “As the chief-detective has suggested, this is a very serious offence. The charge against McMillan show that he was almost in the position of abettor.” Considering the records of both men, the magistrate sentenced Irving to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour and McMillan to one month’s imprisonment on each charge, the sentences in his case to be concurrent.