TWO MAORIS CHARGED WITH ASSAULT

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 256, 27 July 1939, Page 5

TWO MAORIS CHARGED WITH ASSAULT

Incident Near Hotel i CASES IN MAGISTRATES’ | COURT An assault alleged to have taken place near a Wellington hotel on tae afternoon of July 8 led to the appearance in the Magistrates’ Court yesterday of two Maoris, Hector Rameka. labourer, aged 21, and Porter Rameka, blacksmith, aged 27, who were jointly charged with assaulting Norman Ritchie so as to cause him actual bodily harm. The accused pleaded guilty .and were committed by Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., to the Supreme Court for sentence. ... Sub-Inspector D. J. O Neill prosecuted and Mr. H. R. C. Wild appeared for the accused. Bail was allowed in the sum of £25, with one surety for that amount, in each case. Ritchie, in evidence, said he met two friends at the Royal Tiger Hotel and later had occasion to go to the hotel convenience, situated in Taranaki Street and about 30 yards from the hotel. Witness alleged that a. Maori, one of the accused, swore at him, and that subsequently he received a smack on the back of the head from another Maori. While forcing his way out to the street, where he collapsed, he was attacked by both natives. He later found himself in hospital, where he was a patient for two. weeks. He did not provoke the Maoris in any way. Cross-examined by Mr. Wild, witness said he was sober-and had no more than five drinks all the afternoon. He denied using an objectionable expression to one of the Maoris. George Davies Rose, waterside worker, said Ire was drinking bottled beer with the two accused when Ritchie “busted” into the convenience and made a swipe at him. The Maoris may have thought they were being attacked. In the street witness saw Porter Rameka strike Ritchie and knock him down. Hector Rameka, in evidence, said he was under the influence of liquor and added that Ritchie came in and was pushing his weight about ’I think he was going for me all right and I tried to stop him,” said accused.' “The white cjiap came, in and started swearing and swinging his arms about, said Porter Rameka from the witness box. “He started saying, ‘Get out you Mack —’ and I saw red. There was a fight. Witness added that he had consumed a quantity of liquor, but was not drunk. Charge Against MotoristPleading guilty to a charge of failing to stop after an accident on May 2( m Wellington, Edward Leslie Barber was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed. Sub-Inspector O'Neill prosecuted. Evidence was that at 11.10 p.m. on the date in question a car driven by accused struck a front mudguard of another car travelling in the same direction m IJiorndon Quay. The second vehicle was damaged to the extent of £2/15/-, but its driver followed accused and took the number of his car. Accused in a statement to the police admitted failing to stop and said he did not think the accident was severe enough. He took it that the other car was all right and able to continue on its way. He did not think it was necessary to report the accident to the police. Remands Granted. Charles Joseph Kean, labourer, aged 20, charged with indecently assaulting a female in Wellington on July 19, was remanded to appear in Wellington again on August 2. At least another charge of a similar nature would be preferred against accused, said Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle, when applying for the remand. “We have been searching the whole of the Dominion for this man. He was arrested on July 18, 180 miles from Greymouth, under an assumed name,” said Detective-Sergeant Doyle when asking for a remand in the case of Joseph Coyle, contract carrier, aged 47, charged with unlawful carnal knowledge. The. offence was alleged to have been committed on September 2-1, 1938, in Wellington.. Accused was remanded to appear again on August 2. Bail was refused. Breaking and Entering. When he appeared before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., charged with breaking and entering the premises of Preston and Thompson, Limited, Panama Street, and also with forging cheques, Raymond Julian Jorgenseq, clerk, aged 20, pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.