SEAMEN FINED £5 EACH

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 108, 10 May 1933, Page 9

SEAMEN FINED £5 EACH

TAXI-DRIVER ASSAULTED

Two seamen, Cyril James Sinclair, aged 27, and Adolph Frederick Hansen, aged 46, were each fined £5 by Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court^odaj for assaulting a taxi driver. Both the accused denied the assault, but pleaded guilty to charges of drunkenness. The taxi-driver, Albert Ernest Pickering, said, in evidence, that he picked up three men, including the two accused, at a city hotel. They asked him to drive them to the Tarauaki Street Wharf, but when they got near there they asked him to turn into Cable Street, where they told him to stop and put tho lights out. They wero very drunk, and a scuffle ensued. Witness became frightened and jumped into his car and attempted to drivo away. The two accused got back /into the car, and witness got out while the car was moving in low gear. He then ran to the Taranaki Street Police, Station. Witness said he could not give a definite explanation as to how ha had received some slight cuts on his face. Constable Kendrick, who was in Cable Street at the time- of the incident, said he heard some men arguing at the side of the taxi. The word "scab" was used. As he approached the taxidriver, who apparently did not see him, got into his car and drove off. The two accused entered tho car and attempted to strike him. The taxi-driver jumped out while the car was moving. The car crashed into a building. As the two accused got out witness arrested them. After fining the accused on the charges of assault, the Magistrate convicted and discharged them for the offences of drunkenness.