THREATS WITH PISTOL

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 November 1946, Page 2

THREATS WITH PISTOL

CASE ADJOURNED FOR SIX MONTHS HUSBAND’S WAR RELIC After making allegations against his wife, a middle-aged resident o( Greymouth on Friday last obtained a German automatic pistol of 1918 vintage from his shed and threatened to use it. The police were called in and, as a result, the man appeared in the Police Court this mor ping on a charge of being in possession of an automatic pistol without a permit. Senior Sergeant R. C. Mcßobie said that the accused apparently suffered from some delusions and there was absolutely no justification for his allegations concerning his wife, which led to the police being called to the residence. The pistol and ammunition had been taken from the accused’s shed, Where he had had them hidden. The pistol was of German' 1918 vintage and the police had taken possession of it. Counsel’s Submissions. Mr. W. D. Taylor appeared for the accused and entered a plea of guilty. He said that the accused served for four years in the 1914-18 war. On Friday last, entirely wrongly, he got the idea that some man was visiting his wife. He came home about 11 o’clock, after having one or two whiskies, got the pistol out of the shed where it had been hidden and threatened to shoot the person concerned, although atj the time there was no one there. During the week-end, continued Mr. Taylor, the accused and his wife had met -and had dinner together at a friend’s house. He (Mr. Taylor) was quite sure that there would be no repetition of the occurrence. The accused was a very respectable man and had occupied the same position for 30 years. He had never been in trouble before and he (Mr. Taylor) suggested that it was a case where the magistrate might consider an adjournment for six months and suppression of the name. Pistol Confiscated. Senior Sergeant Mcßobie said he appreciated what Mr. Taylor had said, but he asked that the pistol and ammunition be confiscated. The Magistrate, Mr. A. A. McLachlan, said he would not enter a conviction in the meantime but would adopt the suggestion of counsel and order that the matter stand adjourned for six months. An order would be made confiscating the pistol and suppression of the accused’s name would also be ordered.