REEFTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 8 November 1939, Page 11

REEFTON NOTES

fOur Own Correspondent]. REEFTON, November 7. The case in which Alexander William Hamilton Day," 28 years, a coal miner of Reefton, was charged under the Justices of the Peace Act, 1927, that on November 4, at Reefton he did assault Violet Amelia Shaw by threatening to shoot her and that he did without lawful excuse present a firearm to wit a .303 rifle at Violet Amelia Shaw was heard yesterday by Messrs James B. Auld and James Patterson, J’s.P. Sergt. Ebbett prosecuted. Violet A. Shaw, aged nineteen, who boarded with accused and his wife, stated that on Saturday while having lunch with Day and his wife they had an argument, and Day said “We will settled this argument now.” He went out of the room and returned and had a rifle in his hand. He pointed the rifle at witness and was about two' feet away from her head. Mr Sugrue and she went to a neighbour’s house. Day left, the house. Witness asked at the neighbours for the use of a telephone to call the police. In reply to questions by accused, witness stated that, she distinctly saw him load the rifle while he was at the door and that he point-, ed the rifle at her. Timothy Bernard Sugrue, miner of Reefton, stated that he boarded with Mr and Mrs Day. On Saturday while they were having a meal about 1.30 p.m., the accused, Day, picked an argument with Miss Shaw. Day lost his temper, and became heated. He left the rocm, returning with a belt and some cartridges, and then got up on a chair and lifted a rifle off some deer’s horns. This he loaded and pointed the rifle at Miss Shaw, holding the point at her forehead some two feet away from Miss Shaw’s head. Witness jumped up, and said “You can’t come' at that, Alex!” Day went out of the house, and witness went to Mr Eklund’s house with Miss Shaw, Thev went inside and he said “Don’t call the police; we will see if he cools off.” He asked Mr J'ack Eklund to go over and see Mr Day, and tell him witness wished to talk with him. They later left the house to go over to bay’s home, and he saw Day at the side of the house, Day pointed the rifle but witness was not sure if it was pointed at Jack Eklund or himself. They all returned to Eklund’s home and the police were communicated with. John A. Eklund, of Reefton stated that Miss Shaw came to their house on Saturday afternoon and asked, if they had. a telephone, Mr Sugrue was with Miss Shaw. It was suggested that the police be called, but Mr Sugrue said to wait for a time to allow Day to cool off. Witness was asked by Mr Sugrue to go and see Day, and to tell him that Mr Sugrue wanted to talk with him. Witness went over to Day’s house and was told by Mrs Day that Dav was not in. He came out, and then noticed Day coming along the side of the house with a rifle. He did not see Day point the rifle. Mr Sugrue went off back to their home and witness reported the matter to the police. Constable A. Hobbs, of Reefton, stated that on Saturday he received a message regarding the occurrence and went to Day's house. Constable Robertson was with him. Mrs Day said that her husband was not home. They asked about the rifle but Mrs Day did not know where the firearm was. They left the house and witness went to the Buller Road. He saw Day, who made off down the road and into some broom in Main Street. They searched for Day, but could not find him. Witness stayed in the vicinity and about 5.20 that afternoon Day returned home. He told Day of the happenings and requested that Day come to the Police Station. He asked Day about the rifle and this was found in a cupboard in a front room of the house. Some cartridges in a bandolier were also found. He identified the rifle produced. Day came to the Police Station and was taken into custody. The accused, in a statement said that he did not point the rifle at anyone. He had had drinks on Saturday. He did not insert a cartridge in the breach of the rifle, but in his hand he had two dummy cartridges. In reply to Sergeant Ebbett, Day admitted that on the Saturday he had had drink, and that he was the subject of a prohibition order. He could not say that the previous witnesses were lying. He was not quite clear as to what happened on the Saturday. He denied having threatened anyone in Reefton with a firearm before this occurrence. Day was found guilty on both charges. On the first charge he was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour, and on the second charge was convicted and discharged.