LOOKING FOR FIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 102, 2 May 1925, Page 10

LOOKING FOR FIGHT.

CONSTABLE WITH HARKS OF CONFLICT. (From Our Oivu Correspondent.) MORRIXKVILLE, Friday. The story of a Maori who was "looking for fight."' and an ungrateful victim was unfolded at the Morrineville Courthouse before Messrs. 0. M. Glimmer and \V. T. Osborne. .I.l'.'s. when Tua Hopa. a strong, athletic-looking voting Maori, was charged with assaulting Louis Cordes, of Waitoa. and with resisting tlie police. Hopa eventually pleaded guilty to both charges. Constable Jackson said that Cordes. who bad bad a few drinks, addressed himself to the accused, stating that he was an Australian "where the fighting men came from."' Hopa took this as a challenge and promptly caught hold of Cordea' collar and hit'him in the face. Wlien the constable had arrested the Maori, who the constable said had been "looking for light , ' for the past fortnight, the Maori struggled violently. Cordes stood by and refused to assist savin- he had had enough of the Maori! Hopa eventually got away, but was recaptured, but'the constable still bore marks of the conflict.

In fining Hopa £2 on the assault charge and £.') for resisting the police (in default two months on each), tlnjustices commented that Cordon hud half looked for trouble in mentioning tight, and they were inclined to think that Cordes was not deserving of his court expenses, but, however, was legally entitled to them.