Man gaoled for assaulting mayor

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33083, 25 November 1972, Page 3

Man gaoled for assaulting mayor

(New Zealand Press Association) GISBORNE, November 24. A 40-year-old seaman who last night kicked and punched the Mayor of Gisborne (Mr H. H. Barker) at the door of his Harris Street home after accusing him of stealing his wife’s land, was gaoled for six months in the Gisborne Magistrate’s Court this morning.

Mr Barker, who is 74, suffered cuts to the face and his glasses were broken in the incident, which occurred at 6.40 p.m. last night. At one stage he was kicked as he lay on the ground. Before Mr W. M. Willis, S.M., was Albert Brian Gates, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Harry Heaton Barker.

Sergeant D. M. WadeFrench, who prosecuted for the police, said Gates went to Mr Barker’s residence and knocked on the door. It was answered by Mrs Barker and Gates asked to see her husband . When Mr Barker went to the door he was accused of stealing land off the defendant’s wife. He told Gates he had nothing to do with the land acquisition, upon which the defendant assaulted him, the sergeant said. He kneed Mr

Barker in the groin, punched him about the head, and knocked him to the floor. He was kicked and cut on the face. Mrs Barker called the police and, when apprehended, Gates told police: “I have proved my point,” Sergeant Wade-French said. “When are you going to get this bee out of your bonnet?” Mr Willis asked Gates. “It’s working off,” he replied. Mr Willis told him he had sought out the mayor of the city about something that had been on his mind, and had assaulted him in a particularly vicious way over something the complainant had nothing to do with. “You kicked and punched him and the only reason I am sentencing you to six months is because I cannot impose a higher term,” Mr Willis said.