STABBED WITH A FORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1927, Page 3

STABBED WITH A FORK.

IN CHINESE RESTAURANT. MAORI ENTERS THE KITCHEN. i HIXAMAX FIXER Sonieiiiin™ was heard ahotit an item which wa* not on the bill of fare at Wong Sue'* rest ain ant in Albert Street, at the Police Court this morning, when .Tim Lee (lilt, a particularly welldressed kitchen a«i«ant, va* charged with having a**anhed a Maori named Wawp Tnrau, a< !'■ nin«c actual lniciily harm. (•11 the application of Sub-Inspector Lewin. who prosecuted, the charge was reduced to one of common a-^ault. Mr. L. P. Leary appeared for accused. who ].leaded not guilty. Tnrnu said he was a labourer and resided at Panniure with his wife and family. c>ll February 17 he was in Auckland and vent to the Chinese restaurant about 0 p.m. to see a Maori woman, who was a relative of his nnd the wife of a Chinese. He at first saw a hah"-caste Maori waitress, who ad- \ i-ed him to see accused. He went to the slide nnd spoke to accused, who was in the kitchen, asking him if he knew where the Maori woman was. I,et >tnted that she went away about 4.30 p.m.. and told witness that he had better wait outside. Later, however, accused invited him into the kitchen. While there Lee -tabbed him twice with a carving fork.

( 'ro-s-examined by Mr. Leary, witness said he did not exactly know what relation the Maori woman «a< to him. He denied calling Lee a "'little yellow ." He also denied saying that if Lee ordered him out he would throw him into the kitchen fire.

A Maori waitress \va« then called, but she hung her head and seemed reluctant to tell much. However, she stated that complainant was not sober. In the next breath she said he was not drunk either.

Tlic next witness was Sergeant MeIntyre, who paid that when lie entered the restaurant lie found accused with the furk in his hand. Complainant via? (juite sober and seemed inoffensive. Accused asked Tamil whnt proof he had that lie hail stabbed him with the fork. Dr. Tewsley attended to the .Mauri, who had four punctures, two on the left groin. One of the wounds was rather dee]). Tarau was Pont to the hospital, but nfter bring treated was able to leave the institution. The accused, Lei'j was antagonistic and almost defiant.

"A Peaceful Little Man." Mr. Loary said that Lee wa« employed liy Wong Sue as a kitchen hand. As tlie magistrate could see, ho was an undercized young man and looked anything but a desperado. When Tarau called to inquire about the Maori woman, accused had some plates in his left hand and the fork in his right. Lee told him that the Maori woman was not on the premises, but Tarau remained there for fully ten minutes and got in accused's road. Accused was serving meals at the time. Tarau was only there to cadge a bed for his uncle. He refused to go away and went into the kitchen, where he called Lee a "little yellow ."' After saying that he would put Lee in the fire, he made a rush at accused and caught hold of him. Lee was taken unawares and had no feelinsr of any contact with the Maori. He did not even know he had stabbed the Maori with the fork. The accused. Loe then gave evidence ns outlined by hi* counsel. Hp did not know that the fork had stuck in the Maori. Tarau went out. but returned Inter and was ejected by witness and his employer. After Wong Sue had tenderd evidence. Mr. McKean. S.M.. said that it was evident that the Maori had civen some provocation and that a scuffle ensued Lee might be a decent young Chinaman and peaceful, but he must not use a fork when he quarrelled with anybody. He would be fined £3 and ordered to r>ay the cn<ts. which amounted to a similar sum.