MAN WITH GRIEVANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 130, 14 March 1930, Page 3

MAN WITH GRIEVANCE

ALLEGES "BARBARITY." COMPLAINTS IN COURT. (Special to the "Guardian.") CHRISTCHURCH March 13. "I lav a charge of -barbarity! against tbem. 1 have been treated like a dog. I lay a charge against the .police for crippling me in the street. It's ridiculous the way I have been treated. These among other statements were made in the Magistrate's Court this morning by an ejlderly mam named Lawrence Joyce, when sued for possession of a tenement. Mr H. A. Young. S. M., was on the Bench. Mr Holmes appeared for the plaintiff, Albert George Bean. The case proceeded quietlv until the defendant was asked what his defence would be. He started off on a rambling statement of an accident at the hospital corner some time ago. Then Mr Holmes broke in to tell the Court that the defendant's place had been sold up. ■ "It has not, I have the papers in my pocket," interjected Joyce. "I lay,a charge of barbarity against them in the name of the King—King George V. They knocked me doy/n in the street and* I have been a cripple ever since. "But those were other people," said the Magistrate • "That doesn't matter." "Did you bring an action?" "Yes." . . "Did you have a solicitor acting for you?" "Yes, but he sold me. He let me down. I have been treated like a dog. Now they want to sell me out of house and home. I lay a charge of bribery— I mean barbarity—against them." Evidence on'formal lines was given that the place had been sold. "What is the good of a witness like ithat," said defendant. "They owe me £2OO for money lent by me. If you go there you will see the nefarious manner in which the solicitors work. ' "They say they have had no money lent by vou," said the. Magistrate. "Oh, I know nothing about that man," said defendant. , A further witness said that Joyce had refused to leave the tenement. "Yes, I absolutely refuse to go out, said Joyce. "They owe me £2OO. Yes, I put it in a solicitor's hands, but he treated me with contempt. How is it that I have been knocked down by a Ca "l don't know," put in the Magistrate. , -■■■.,. T "There that's a nice thing now. 1 lav a charge against the police for crippling me in the street. It's ridiculous the way they are treating me. "How do you get a living? "Oh, from my friends. I havent any good friends, even among the police. The man at the corner crippled me tor life and they, let him go and I'm down and out. Please, your Worship how am I to lav a charge-against ; the.police? I can't do anything. I m crippled in both hands." "I've been robbed,", continued defendant, "and I've got a case against the police for contempt. 1 m not eoing to leave the Court till I get fustice I'm standing here and Im goinfto get it. I'm thankfu to your Wcrfhip for hearing me. It s not in history, it's not in the annals of But1S 'fWoukYyou like to talk it over with the police?" asked the Magistrate "The trouble is that there's anotnei inspector there now. It was a different one before." „v„r,+ "Come with me and I'll see about it," said the Magistrate. . "Thank you, your Worship, thank you I'm crippled in both hands, and'the defendant's voice grew fainter as he passed out the door with Mi Young He was left in the corridor with the police and Mr Young returned to the Bench immediately to adjourn the case for a week.