COW ON LAWN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1937, Page 9

COW ON LAWN.

LEADS TO ASSAULT.

MAN IN "VIOLENT TEMPER."

MT. WEIXINGTON INCIDENT

Remarking that there was little doubt thafthe accused was annoyed, and that it was an experience that would annoy anybody, Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Police Court this morning, fined Robert Leslie Gillard, aged 35, £5 and witnesses' expenses for assaulting Thomas Trow, farmer, Mount Wellington, on Sunday morning last. Mr. I. J. Goldstine appeared for Gillard, who pleaded not guilty. The magistrate said the annoyance was no excuse for the cowardly assault upon Trow, a man of 85 years. Trow said he was driving 14 cows along the Mount Wellington highway when the accused, who had a house and lawn in the road, called out to witness to clear the cows off his lawn. One cow was by the wall, and witness, after, saying he was trying to keep the cows off, told Gillard to mind his own business. Gillard then came over to witness and with a blow knocked him down, breaking his false teeth. Witness, when he fell, received a deep cut on the back of the head, and several stitches had to be inserted. A constable saw Gillard, who asked to be allowed to go into the house to change his clothes. When inside he asked the constable to produce a warrant and as this was not forthcoming he told the constable to "Get out." However, the constable explained that a warrant was not necessavy. Mr. Goldstine did not call evidence, submitting that the. wandering of the cows' on the lawn was provocation. Accused was a respectable man. had not been in trouble before, and had lived in Otahuhu all his life. In fining accused £5 Mr. McKean said that Gillard was apparently in a violent temper at the time.