A MENACE TO PEOPLE’

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 83, 2 January 1930, Page 17

A MENACE TO PEOPLE’

THREAT AGAINST WOMAN ALLEGATION OF ASSAULT .Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, December 31. Allegations that he had threatened to push her through a window were made by a young married woman, Edna Beattic, against a painter, Victor Seymour Wright, aged 29 years, in the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court this morning. Wright admitted being drunk in Main Street yesterday, but denied having assaulted Mrs. Beattie. Messrs. S. Abrahams and G. 11. Espiner, J.P.’s, were on the Benell. Last night accused went round to the boarding-house where Mrs. Beattie is staying, according to Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse,’and was ordered off the premises. He then waited outside and when Mrs. Beattie came out accused' her of promising to meet him. "He was going to do this to me and do that,’’ said Mrs. Beattie, describing in her evidence what occurred next, “and he grabbed me by the arm and threatened to bash me through the window.” “Oh, I caught her by the arm, but I didn’t mean any harm,” said accused, questioned as to the truth of this statement. Mrs. Beattie denied knowing accused, but Wright protested that she had arranged to meet him. “I met her in Lombard Street on Friday night and walked home with her,” he said. “We stood by the boarding-house gate and went and sat on the chureh steps opposite. Afterwards we went round to the back of the boarding-house, and she went her way and 1 went mine. We then arranged to meet at 7 p.m. outside the Salvation Hall last night. I thought, it was after seven and went to meet her.”

“Is it not a fact that you called out to this young lady and her friend on Friday, ‘Are you going far?’ and didn’t receive a reply?” questioned the seniorsergeant. "No,” was the reply.. Accused was unable to recollect being ordered off by the premises by the landlady. “What was your object?” queried the Bench, referring to the incident when accused grasped Mrs. Beattie’s arm. “Oh, I couldn’t be sure,” replied accused with a smile and half-laugh. "I don’t think it’s much of a laughing matter to griib a girl’s arm and threaten to push her through a window,” said the senior-sergeant. "This man has apparently been drinking throughout the Christmas season,” continued Senior-Ser-geant Whitehouse, “and has made a menace of himself to people. He hasn’t been in trouble before, but seems to be making a pretty good start when he gets drunk.”

“This sort of thing must be put down for the safety of young women,” commented the Bench. “You will be fined £2, in default one month’s imprisonment.”

“I’ll pay the £2,” broke in accused. A fine of 5/-, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment, was inflicted on the charge of drunkenness, and Wright’s request for time to pay was granted. “Can I have my name kept out of the papers?” was his final request. “No,” was the answer from the Bench.