Livestock rustling was also in the news back at the turn of the nineteenth century when The New Zealand Herald’s Waitakerei correspondent reported on a “miserable sneak-thief” prowling the district in 1899.
An act of considerable audacity was perpetrated on Sunday evening or night, August 27.
Mr. Thos. Shelley, of the Dilworth homestead farm, has been sorely perplexed for some time past at the disappearance of his sheep, without being able to find any traces of their dead carcases or otherwise.
On the Sunday in question he had a few enclosed in a small garden, which was secured with wire-netting, in addition to the ordinary fence.
Amongst other sheep was a ewe in good condition, her lamb running with her.
The New Zealand Herald reports on livestock rustling in 1899. Image / Pastures Past
Mr. T. Shelley paid a visit to his father-in-law, Mr. Meikle, during the day, and on the Monday morning the ewe had totally disappeared, and the little lamb left motherless.
I might mention that last shearing season Mr. Shelley was some 30 short.
Some parts of this district have long been noted for the disappearance of cattle and sheep, and it is a pity that the offenders cannot be caught in the act, and an example made of them as a warning.
I believe at one time a suggestion was made that the different cattle and flock-owners should combine and offer a substantial reward for the conviction of the thieves.
Certainly the farmers here, who are all in a small way, have quite enough to contend with without being preyed upon by such thieves.
It is thought probable that the stock thieves may be operating with a lorry, as the missing cattle were all quiet and easy to handle.
The losses are giving many farmers cause for anxiety, and the police are investigating.
Gesture by cattle thieves
New Zealand Herald, June 1, 1935
A native tribe long notorious for cattle-stealing in the Punjab has made a grand gesture in honour of the King’s Silver Jubilee.
The Commissioner, Mr. C. C- Garbett, appealed to the natives to abandon their evil ways of life, and in response 100 tribesmen have undertaken not to steal cattle during Jubilee year.
That a gang of cattle thieves is operating in the Towai district, and, as a side-line, had turned their attention to the stealing of calves, was an allegation made at the annual conference of the Whangarei Sub-Pro-vincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union today.
Correspondence had been received relative to the loss of calves, in which the Railways Department had suggested that many of the calves were not loaded on to the trucks.
The shortage, it was revealed, had been reduced by the pool system.
Mr E. Babe said that checking had revealed definitely that calves had been lost between Whangarei and Moerewa.
Mr J. R. Babe, who controlled the transport for the Whangarei pool last year, though not a member, was present, and when asked to speak agreed that the pool system had seen a reduction in the number of lost calves.
Accidents would happen so far as lorry drivers were concerned, but these would not account for the total number of calves lost.
