Gang used bars, battens in fight

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34045, 8 January 1976, Page 2

Gang used bars, battens in fight

New Zealand Press Association)

GISBORNE, January 7.

Seven youths who appeared in the Gisborne Magistrate’s Court today on charges connected with a gang fight were told by the Magistrate that it would “do them good” to read the remarks made by the father of the gang member shot by the police in Taumarunui at the week-end.

“The remarks of the father of that dead boy could well apply to you,” Mr W. M. Willis. S.M., told the youths as they left the dock.

He had just heard of an incident outside a Gisborne hamburger bar in which a young soldier was stabbed and beaten, others were assaulted, and a car damaged by 10 youths bent on continuing "a gang fight from earlier in the night. the attackers used iron bars, crowbars, fence battens, and one of them had a carving knife. One youth had a cut suffered in the earlier fight reopened. He was also hit with fence battens and stabbed. The Magistrate convicted all seven defendants and remanded them on bail to next Wednesday for probation reports and sentence. One youth was charged with injuring Mr Kau Waitoa in circumstances \ that, had death occurred, 'he would have been guilty of manslaughter. Fight at dance He is James Walter Reihana, aged 22, a gardener, who pleaded guilty to this and to a charge of being a member of an unlawful assembly. Pleading guilty to a charge of unlawful assembly and to a charge of assault on Waitoa and others, were Hopa Tomia Davies, aged 22, a forestry worker; Floyd Teurikora Thompson, aged 22, unemployed; Frederick William Bishop, aged 17, a shed hand; David Hunia Miringaorangi, aged 20, a park labourer; Whaiora Boy Bycie Sadlier. aged 19. a nark labourer; and David Rewiti Sadlier, aged 21, a farm labourer, who also pleaded guilty to using obscene language in the foyer of the Gisborne Police Station.

The incident occurred outside the Town Clock Takeawav Bar in the earlv hours of Christmas morning.

There had been rivalry* between two gangs, one from Gisborne and one from Te Araroa, Senior-Sergeant K. J. Morrow told the Court.

On Christmas Eve they had been at a dance at Kaiti where a fight began. Boots and bottles were used. The fight broke up before the police arrived. Waitoa had suffered a cut to the head caused by a bottle. He had the injury stitched in hospital. The Te Araroa group left saying that it would return later with others to “get” the Gisborne gang. Car The Gisborne youths then discussed gathering strength to settle with the other group and enlisted the help of others, who they picked up in their car from "their homes. With them they took iron bars, crowbars, fence battens, and the defendant Reihana took a carving knife. Three of the group had not yet been apprehended.

At 1.20 on Christmas morning they found the Te Araroa youths’ car at the takeaway bar.

Some of the 10 assailants violently attacked the Te Araroa car with their weapons, smashing windows and causing $lBO worth of damage to it.

I Those at the bar became I alarmed at this and left in fear. The occupants of the car, which included girls, were all hit by the group, who used the weapons they were carrying.

Senior-Sergeant Morrow said one youth was cut on I the ear and needed hospital [treatment for this. Mr Waitoa was in hospital until January 5. He had suffered a further blow to the head, which reopened the earlier wound, he was hit several times about the bodv with wooden battens, and he suffered a 2in stab wound that injured his liver, duodenum, and gall bladder. Surgery was needed. Obscene language Reihana could give no explanation for his actions. All admitted going to the scene to commit violence. Some said that they stood around while the others assaulted the youths in the car. None of them admitted doing any damage to the car. Later on Christmas Day David Sadlier had called at the police station, where he was told his brother could not be bailed out. In front of two young girls in the foyer he' used obscene language and threatened to return with friends.