A TRAGEDY AVERTED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 104, 4 May 1891, Page 2

A TRAGEDY AVERTED.

A CRUEL PRACTICAL JOKE.

Within the last few days there have been rumouis of strained relations between a volunteer captain and an ex-volunteer, who is credited with having made some uncomplimentary remarks concerning the corps through the columns of a local weekly. . The parties, with minds considerably agitated through brooding over the matter in , dispute met at the Drill-shed the other evening, and eventually found themselves the' centre of an interested crowd outside of the building, and a collision took place, concerning which various versions are related with various complexions. Ab all events bhere was an umbrella broken in the fray, alter _ which. , one of the combatants incontinently left the scene of strife. On the following day tht ex-volunteer received i a letter purporting to have been signed by his assailant, suggesting that, as the affair of the previous evening had not concluded satisfactorily to either side, they should have it out in front of the Harbour Board offices at 7.30 on Friday evening, and thatl each should be accompanied by a friend. The ex-volunteer, though satisfied with his ability to outdo his antagonist on scientific principles, feared that he mighb be bested in the event of a rough and tumble, and shrewd man, that ha is he promptly placed the letter he had received in the hands of the police. An officer of the force was promptly toldj off to interview the valiant captain, and to?.; demand an. explanation. The oaptaiij when confronted with what appeared tfflj be his own challenge to a duel, nolil only denied the authorship but a similar letter, signed by his adversary,! which he said he had received by poefcH Explanations followed, and what promisedfj' to be a serious encounter was averted. The 4 mabter, we understand, is nob to be bo rest here, as one of those implicated ha* made a formal complaint to the officer com! manding bhe district, with the view oi| eliciting an inquiry. The police are alsd investigating the matter-