FIRING OF SHOTGUN

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 13, 15 July 1936, Page 8

FIRING OF SHOTGUN

OFFENCE ADMITTED

FARM HAND'S CONDUCT

(By TelcgrSph.—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, July 14.

The case against John Miles, farmer, of Fernside, charged with discharging a shot-gun at Nicholas Wall, with intent to do grievous bodily harm, was concluded in>the Magistrate's Court this afternoon. Cross-examined, Wall admitted that he had been warned by the Rangiora police to leave the district. The Rangiora constable had been called to John Miles's house because of witness's behaviour when drunk. Counsel: Were you surprised that Miles collapsed after hearing his daughter had been away with you for two nights? Witness: No. ■ Witness denied that he had caused trouble in the Miles family. He was not on good terms with any of them. He denied that the cause of this was that he was constantly drunk and plying their sister with liquor. Sergeant Mclntie, of Rangiora, said he knew no case of the accused hav^ | ing previously interfered with anyone. The accused had complained of the • association of Wall with his daughter. Witness would say that the accused i had had the greatest provocation. If Wall persisted in staying in the district something serious would happen between the two men. The accused, in evidence, said there had been irritation between Wall and himself since Christmas. His daughter Hazel did not come home on the night' of the King's Birthday nor on the following night. On the Thursday following he saw Hazel and her younger sister with Wall going to a plantation. Witness told Wall if he interfered with the girls witness would shoot him. That night witness collapsed. Later he filled a cartridge with salt and saltpetre. He asked the girls to hide the gun. He had no recollection where he found the gun. He fired at Wall. He had not intended to injure Wall, only to protect his wife and children.

Miles pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.