"ACTING THE GOAT."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 7

"ACTING THE GOAT."

liABOUR DAT INCIDENT.

MAX FINED FOR ASSAULT.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WHANGAREI, this day; The result of his "acting the goat," aa a witness described it, was that E. Griffen was fined £1 to-day and ordered to pay costs, £1 1/. According to the police, W. Atkinson, a quiet and inoffensive man, was standing outside a hotel with a friend on labour Day when Griffen was introduced to T»™ After some minutes he struck Atkinson, without provocation.

Atkinson, in evidence, said that Griffen had begun to "act the goat" by attempting to wrestle with him and pummel T»im, While doing bo he slipped and felL Witness took no further notice until Griffen, coming up from behind, struck him a blow under the eye, which sent him to the footpath. Griffen'a companion, O'Halloran, kicked him several times in the ribs until he was stopped by a maw named Codlin.

The defence was that Atkinson, evidently thinking the greeting betweett Codlin and Griffen was a dispute, interfered, pushing Griff en to the ground breaking a bottle of whisky in his pocket. This incensed Griffen, who retaliated. O'Halloran denied having kicked Atkinson, saying it was impossible, for he >""< recently come out of hospital, where he had been treated for an injury to the muscles of his right leg. The magistrate said there had been an unjustified assault by Griffen. There was a doubt in the case of O'Halloran, and the Information against him was dismissed.