"KILL HIM!"

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10880, 26 April 1929, Page 5

"KILL HIM!"

‘SAVAGE ■ ASSAULT -ON '• CON%

STABLE

AFFRAY AT TE ARAROA

TEN MEN ’ARRESTED.

GONV ICTED ON ,12 CHARGES

SENTENbks RANGE T(>\ NINE - MONTHS’ HARD.

(Special-;To vUie Times). PORT AWANUI, April 24. Happenings at Te Arajoa .nn Sat urday. Inst were revealed ,at : ' a sessionof, the Polite Court bore to-dav; when 42 char rr e u wore levelled against eight Maori’s anti two 'pakehas. .■Almost' all the counts"arose from a ’ino-b attack on Constable Thom, of Te Araroa' Oli. the bench. were • Messrs. V’ G H • It ieka.rd and J. H. McNei 1 , ,J’s. P.. while- the- prosecution was conducted' by Constable, Olsen, of Port Awn mu. Accused, who wero not . represented by : counsel, with the exception of Watene Potibu, nldaded guilty. The ■ accused and (he charges against them were .as follow :_L William Brosnahan'.—Assaulting tlie police and two other assault charges,: use ot "obscene language, mi lawful conversion of'm horse,'to b s own use, furious riding, and inciting Natives to resist-the police. Tamati Taiapa!—Disorderly" behavior' while drunk; using obscene language; sand three charges of assault. ' Tu Hnihui.—Disturbing s a public entertainment, fighting fn a' public place;.’ assault on the, police-, wilful obstruction of the police, disorderly behaviour and assault. ■ Graham Edmonds—Assault on and obstructing the police, disorderly behaviour and two Other assault charges. • .Malta Iliaka.—Wilful obstruction ot police, inciting Natives to rc-sist the police and'assault. r ’ Koinehe Poutu.— Disorderly beliavHH'ir and two charges of assault.; Alfred Moran.—Disorderly behaviour, assault on police, and'two other assault charges. Watene Poutu.-—Disorderly behaviour, resisting the police, assault using obscene language and-' inciting to resist .the:.-police llirau Karaka.—Assault, obstructing the police and inciting to resist police. Poki Paringatai.—Disorderly behaviour while drunk.

’ STOP V OF THE TROUBLE. According to tlie prosecution, Constable Olsen had occasion to eject Tu Huihui from the picture theatre at Te Araroa on Saturday night. Shortly afterwards, the constable went outside tlie theatre and there found Huiluii and another Maori engaged in a fight. H'iiihui immediately took to his., heels and the constable set out in pursuit A shortdistance iuva'y. lie 'encountered two pakehas and several Maoris who adopted a hostile attitude. One of the'*Europeans, William Brosnahan, picked 'up a stone'- and struck the officer on the hack of the neck, felling him to earth. Thereupon the mob pounced on the unlucky- man, attempting to choke him and using hoots arid fists freely. “Kill him 1 Kill him!’' rang out the shout's of the attackers, and that proved their undoing, for the cries attracted the attention of other Europeans who rushed to the scene immediately and ranged themselves on the side of law and order.

The moh put up a stonf resistance and tlie rescuers had to arm themselves with pick handles before they could prevail. Several of the jn«b dashed away under the flailing of these handy weapons and the trouble quickly ended. Two Natives who had been knocked down were imme(iiatelv arrested.

Though severely battered. Constable Thom escaped without serious injury. Messrs. Mullooly, Ballniityne, Richards and Simpson, of tlie rescue party, received some painful blows, while all had a few bruises to remind them of thei exciting Saturday night-. Several of the accused, when they appeared in court. to-day, bore evidence of the use of pick-handles. With the aid (of 'Constable Olsen, of Port Awantii. who tv as called up by 'phone, Constable Thom rounded up eight more of his assailants on Monday and yesterday. As the gaol accommodation at Te Araroa proved inadequate, the accused were brought on here.

SENTE-X (' F.S TMP<) SE D. The Bench imposed sentences ns follow: — Brusnahan. —Throe months’ hard labor each on the charges oi assaulting the police, using obscene language and inciting to resist the police; convicted and discharged on the other four charges. Tain pa.—Three months each on ihe charges of disorderly behaviour and using obscene language ; convicted and discharged on the three assault charges. Huihni.—Three months lor .assail'd on the police, two months tor obstructing the police, one month for disturbing a public entertainment arid also a month for disordciJv behaviour; convicted and disehnrged on the two other counts Edmonds. —Three months for assaulting the police a similar penalty lor obstructing them, two months lor disorderly behaviour; convicted and discharged on the two assault char—Three months’ .each on the charges of obstructing the police and inciting to re'sist', convicted and discharged on the assault.charge Komene Potitu.—One month on cacli of three charges Moran.— Three rnontlis for assault on police, one month on each o three other charges. ' ; ■Watene Poutu.—One month ipt disorderly behaviour, same for resisting police and also for use ol o)soene language; convicted and tlischarged on two other counts. Tim . Bench took a Jemeut-. view oi the charges against Karaka, a y oung Native, it being stated‘that he was simply led away by the. otheus, .inch becoming excited, hack joined m he affray. F<>- obstructing _ tlig poUe. Karaka >yas fined and fleered to pay "Court costs -Ft while , on ch.itges Of aksax.lt mul inciting to resist, be ' was convicted and diseliai < ed. On lithe charge, of disorderly mhaviour• while drunk, Par.ngatai was fin Oil £2i with costs. £4 lUs.