MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 September 1924, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 25,

(Before Mr J. S. Barton, S.M.) COMMON ASSAULT. The case against Frederick David Edgeombe. who was recently charged by the police with assaulting a Chinese' named Ah So, was again before the court.. , Mr Ryan, for accused, said that. Mr Abbott, of Wait.ara, for whom the accused had previously worked, was present in court and was prepared to take the hoy hack and look after him. Referring to the offence, His Worship said that if accused had run out and used a knife it was a very serious matter, .but if he merely went to the assistance of a woman in trouble it put a different complexion on the case. He would like to hear if the police had anything further to place before the court. Sergeant Henry said that the police had searched the premises, but had been unable to find a revolver. The Chinese, however, who spoke good English, said definitely that Edgeombe appeared in the struggle with both a revolver and a knife. Proceeding, Sergeant Henry said lie was sure that the woman concerned in the struggle had an influence oyer the boy, and the boy had made statements which were untrue, but which he did not want to go back on. Mr Ryan said that accused still asserted that he-did not use a knife, and he-did not have a revolver in his possession. His Worship said that in view of the fact that the boy still denied ownership of the knife he would have to give him the benefit,of the doubt and deal with The case as one of common assault. . Sergeant Henry said it was highly desirable .that- accused should leave ITawei;a, where this woman resided, i, His Worship ordered accused to pay tlie medical expenses of the Chinese, amounting to one guinea, and further ordered him to come up for sentence in two years’ time, accused to be. of good behaviour and to report as if on probation in the meantime. If accused - came back to Hawera and renewed his association with the woman previously mentioned, such action would be deemed bad behaviour and flouting the wishes of the court. THI(EE BICYCLES TAKEN. Daniel O’Connell appeared on remand, charged with unlawfully converting a bicycle to his use. Sergeant Henry said that, accused had been employed on a boat, which he had left at New Plymouth about two months ago. He went to Tariki, and on the 21st of the present month lie was in Eltham. There he helped himself to a bicycle belonging .to one Hogden, which was outside the Dominion Boarding House. He rode this to the outskirts of the town and there exchanged at for another .bicycle belonging to a man named Coulter. At Te Eoti lie made a further exchange there, taking a machine .belonging to a resident, named. Telfer. Constable Townsend, of Eltham, got into communication with Constable Pidgeon, of Normanby, but unfortunately accused had by that, time passed through Normanby. Constable Pidgeon, however, who had seen accused about an hour' previously, followed him up and apprehended him in Hawera. Accused _gaid he did not know what he was doing at the time. He had been drinking a little arid he wqs still suffering from tlie effects of an injury to his head received while a prisoner in Germany. r Sergeant Henry said that accused had no settled address and no property. “He is in his house when his hat is on his. head,’’ said the Sergeant! Ilis Worship said he would treat the case as a warning to others, but. he would take into account the fact, that accused had already spent two days in the Hawera lock-up. He would be sentenced to a further fifteen days’ imprisonment with hard labour.