HIT CHIEF DETECTIVE:

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 287, 4 December 1929, Page 10

HIT CHIEF DETECTIVE:

MALOLO FIREMAN FRACTIOUS

PUNCH ON THE NOSE.

BECAUSE HE WAS SHOWN THE DOOR.

"And I hope you put him in the cooler when he did that!" barked Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police, Court yesterday afternoon, when he heard that Chief Detective Hammond had been struck on the nose by William Beattie Wallace, a fireman, of the American liner Malolo, after an argument in the detective's office. - Wallace was charged with having been disorderly while drunk. He swung into the dock chewing a sticky mass of gum. To the invitation that he say something in explanation, accused shifted the gum to one side and drawled: "Why —I jus' don't remember a thing about it." Then he smiled all round the Courtroom, and went on chewing. Chief Detective Hammond explained that Wallace had entered his office at the city police station, just before noon, and had started to argue _ concerning another fireman who was in custody. "I told him to get out, because he was very argumentative, and when I stood up to open the door he gave me a shortarm punch on the nose," said Mr. Hammond. . _ "Fined £1, or three days," was Mr. Hunt's immediate announcement. . "Sir?" queried Wallaof, in between chews. . . „ "I said 'Fined £1, or three days, shot back the magistrate. "I've got that much on board the ship," remarked Wallace, in a relieved tone. "D'yer think they'd pay it for me?" , Mr. Hunt supposed they would, and ordered Wallace to be placed'aboard in custody. -