THE WAIMEA PLAINS RAILWAY RATE.

Evening Star, Issue 7336, 7 October 1887, Page 4

THE WAIMEA PLAINS RAILWAY RATE.

RESISTING PAYMENT. INVERCARGILL, October 6. Martin Johnston, a farmer at Longridge, was charged at the Police Court today with attempting to discharge a gun at Constable Griffiths. Accused is a settler in the district rated for the Waimea Plains Railway, and holds very strong opinions as to the injustice of the rate—so much so that he wrote to the Government some months ago on the subject, and expressed his intention to shoot anyone who came to enforce payment of the rate from him. The law took its course, and the constable went to accused's farm, on Wednesday to distrain at the instance of the railway company for rates for which judgment had been given, The constable said he wonld seize the horses with which Johnston was plonghing, and the' latter replied that if he touohed them he would blow his brains out. After the horses were nnyokedaccused repeated the threat. He' afterwards calmed down a bit, and went Into his hut. The constable followed him, < and on looking in saw accused take down a double-barrelled gun from the wall and faring it to the ready, pointing it at him. Rearing the click of one of the hammers,

he sprang on Johnston, got hold of the gun with one hand, and caught him round the body with the other. After a struggle he threw Johnston, and holding him on the f round passed the gun to a man who had een away watering the horses. The oaps were then removed, and on examination both barrels proved to be loaded with heavy shot. Accused having only just been brought in from the country, he was remanded till the 12th inst.