SHEEP STEALING EXTRAORDINARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4103, 4 May 1892, Page 3

SHEEP STEALING EXTRAORDINARY.

A Barefaced Robbeiy.

Tho Carterton Obsorver reports thatn barefaced robbery of sheep took place on Sunday lost at Carterton. Just us dusk was coming on Mr James Stevens noticed a man driving along the main road a small mob of sheop, Four of the number broke away, but the man did not stop for them, but went on with the rest, in number about a sgoro. The four made towards Mr Stevens' paddock which was near by, where he stood, and as they had a familiar look Mr Stevens went up and examined them, and found by tho ear marks that they were his own property, He put them in the, paddock, and even then it did not strike hint that there was anything suspicious in tho circumstances. Ho thought his four sheep had got out of the paddock and got mixed with the others and been turned back by tho diiver, Liter on Mr Stevens thought he would follow the man and find out who'he was, and he went after him, but the man and the sheep had vanished. This Beenied unaccountable, and Mr Stevens traversed the high-ways and by-ways in an abortive attempt to discover their whereabouts. He then went and. reported the matter to the police. Constable Darby, Mr Stevens, and oneortwo of his men then extended the search but no trace of the man could be found, nor of the sheep. The drover was. riding ono horse and leading another by a rope, but he had no dogs. The searchers wore at their wits end, and could learn no word of news, and concluded tho man had put the sheep in some paddock, and stowed himself out of the wav.

Next morning Mr H. Potts reported having on his way home from Chuich at about 10 minutes to 9 p.rn, 'passed a man driving a small mob of: sheen along Belvedere Road towards High St. From his description the lot must have been those suspected of having been stolen. The man must have turned off the main road from Mr Stevens farm, and got away back into Dalefield and turned into the main thoroughfare again through Belvedere Road,

Mr E. L. Wakelin next reported having seen this Bmall mob passing McEwen's blacksmith shop about nine o'clock on Sunday night. This at last gave' a clue of the direction in which they had been taken from Carterton, and soon after word was brought that marks in the frost on the Waingawa Bridge showed the sheep had crossed towards Masterton early on Monday morning, So far that is all the reliable information we have obtained, though re« ports are current hero that these sheep were S6en on the back line at Masterton and again later on at Opaki going in the direction of the Forty»Mile Bush,

Mr Jamea Stevens mustered his sheep early on Monday morning and found seventeen missing, so it is pretty conclusive that the sheep have been stolen from him,

[Sergeant M'Ardlc, of Masterton, has made inquiries, bvit is certain that the sheep have not come this way,]