ASSAULT ALLEGED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 287, 4 December 1941, Page 12

ASSAULT ALLEGED

ITALIAN'S PLAINT EX-SOLDIER FOR TRIAL (0.C.) GISBORNE, this day. A 36-year-old ex-soldier and labourer, William Allan Cameron, was yesterday committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of assaulting Rino Moiser, a 75-year-old retired Italian labourer, and causing actual bodily harm. Moiser gave evidence that he and accused lived at the same boardinghouse. On November 5 witness was in his room when accused spoke to somebody in the yard, referring to Italians in unfavourable terms. On accused's request witness went into the yard where accused committed the assault, striking witness in the face and eyes until witness almost lost consciousness. Later witness was taken to his room, but afterwards they met in a passage and caught hold of each other. In addition to facial injuries witness had hurt his side, probably because accused had used his boots.

Witness said he gave accused no provocation. Witness spent three weeks in hospital. Accused was sober at the time of the assault, but had been drinking.

Mrs. Charlotte Victoria Pierce, waitress, stated that she went into i the yard when she heard a thud and saw Moiser on the ground, face down, [with accused standing near. On her suggestion accused left the injured man. She thought she saw accused kick Moiser, but she was not certain. Witness said Moiser struck her on one occasion two years ago on the back of the neck because she •swore when asking for pudding plates. Moiser was a quick tempered man.

Miss Adamana Florence Menzies, proprietress of the boardinghouse, said she saw accused banging Moiser's face on the concrete, and she threw the contents of a scrubbing bucket at accused.

Dr. Norma M. Morey, of the Cook Hospital, said Moiser was suffering from a severe "black eye" and from facial injuries and fractures of the lower left rib.

Detective-Sergeant Waterson read a statement made by accused, who said that he returned to Gisborne in August as the result of wounds. Moiser called him a "dirty drunken ." Afterwards accused asked Moiser for an explanation, and when Moiser became aggressive accused put his hands up to protect himself. In a later scuffle again started by Moiser accused had to hit Moiser to free himself from his grip.