INSPECTOR STRUCK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20185, 1 March 1940, Page 4

INSPECTOR STRUCK

ACTION BY DROVER FINES IMPOSED TOKOMARU INCIDENT (Special to the Herald.) RUATORIA, thtis day. Charged with assaulting the Transport Department’s inspector, Mr. R. Metcalfe, in Tokomaru Bay on February 28 and with the use of obscene language, Peter Andrew Carroll, dog tax collector. and drover, appeared before Mr. E. L. Walton, S. in the Ruatoria Police Court yesterday and was convicted and fined £3 on each information. The accused was ordered to pay costs on the assault charge.

The prosecution was conducted by Constable R. W. Beasley. and Carroll, who pleaded not guilty, was represented by Mr. J. Todd, Tokomaru Bay. Mr. Metcalfe said that he was travelling from Gisborne to Ruatoria. He drove through some sheep near a bridge in the vicinity <of Tokomaru Bay and an argument was started by Carroll. The accused stepped on to the running board and struck the witness a glancing blow. At the same time Carroll used obscene language. A woman, who witnessed the incident, also gave evidence. The accused, in evidence, claimed that he had the right of way. Some of the sheep were on the bridge when the inspector approached from behind. Many of the mob were scattered and the witness became annoyed with the inspector’s actions. He denied that he hit the inspector, but admitted that he had shaken him by the shoulders.