CHATEAU FRACAS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1935, Page 6

CHATEAU FRACAS

SKQUUII TO DRINKING PARTY

V- .RJH r ERATION IN COURT

(Per Tress Association—Copyright)

TAUMARUNUT, Dec. 13

The adjourned bearing of the eivil case arising out o'" an occurrence the Chateau■ Tonga-riro (National Park) was heard in the Magistrate's ( ourt to-day before Mr R- M Watson, S.M.. Mr .Id A. Gordon appeared for plaintiff, Richard Oobbe, and Air W. Selvvyn Avqri 1:1, of Hastings, for dolendant.

Plaintiff alleges that, on or about September 8 last defendant, while sta>ing at, the Chateau , Tonga rim, ;; assaulted and struckplaintiff on the left temple thereby causing concussion, ex ter mil swelling, and contusion of the brain, so that., a s a result, plaintiff was in hospital for a period, and since leaving hospital had been quite unable to carry out his duties. Plaintiff asked judgment for £2OO general damages, and £l2. 13s 6d hospital and medical expenses. Counsel for plaintiff said the position at the Chateau had been somewhat difficult owing to the fact that there was no liquor license at the Chateau. , iq No 1 suite, occupied. by a lady from England, there had been n drinking party on Thursday, September 5. ’Uhd doVnplaints were made on Saturday, September 7. A fresh party developed, its. headquarters being in the same suite' of rooms. (There W considerable drinkiinr, and : towards 'uiidin'ght the re- ■ velvT'b'eeaine ' rather' i seiHou's ’matter for,, people sleeping' on thr Radio floor, and tile floor' above.. Dorters' were ,instructed' to. get tbe.se -people to' restrain themselves, and on a nnnihei of occasions thev knocked on the door and pointed out the noise was not | fair to The other occupants of tne building. \ ' Shortly after midnight porters again intervened, and insisted on the occupants going to their respective rooms This request was partially complied with in that they left No 1 suite, some tb retire for the night, hut others to go down to the lounge. The latter started the disturbance atiesh. One member pf -jthe party took a was e basket and scattered . paper ’round the room. One man was told that Mr Cobbe would, be, called, and he suggested ill definite language that Mr Cobbe bp called, and to ensure such should happen, a. small silver tray was thrown ijpstairs. .. •• .---Pdaintijf, Cobbe, had .retired ,to : bed, MtTß.i) oji Saturday night. The,npisc. VrtlieThj’Oivp tray brought ,bim .out of bed, and; he .went down, the passage and had a conversationi,with .the lady occupying-No 1 suite, and told hei to call at the office in the morning and settle her account and leave the Chateau* v, Shortly j a liter, defendant (appeared on the scene. There \v.as a scuffle, and plaintiff a, Jitimber of , Mows pii-the head.* yHi.s, recollection of wiiat,happened thereafter, was --Very .mdis•ffcinbt. Porters,, and. a,;Mr Bailty;/;.a -.gheM,at the., Chateau,..appeared 'klefMidanM'was t-akbn downstairs. 4»d siihsequentlyX;locked' up,, for .the night in his bedroom. PJain't'iff,,'s<>„ bed, he .spent a wratqhe.d -Right. . 'On.- Monday (morning his eyesight, gave him trouble; and he felt- a general { wreck. Mrs .'Cobbe. decided lie. must see a doctor; An X-ray examination' in Wellington Dr Cameron showed a fracture of 1 the skull in the left temporal region. Cobbe’s whole physical and neiypiis system were shaken. He obtadned Teave from the Chateau, but. bis (condition G was such, that, after consulting , medical i advice, he decided to i;es.igp',his (position. Tlie Crown made him n compassionate allowance.

Richard? CViJjlje in evidence said the licjooi- (jiipstiop at the. Chateau was so serious tfety. prior to the September disturbance .-lie bad a discussion with Minister, in charge--of his departifiiihC; a!iii,ut' it. Earlf* in September, M iss- - - Latina.,- reputed “to be the .daugh-’ ter of - n ‘South African, millionaire, arrived and occupied No 1 suite. Un the night, of, the .dkturfiance he left h'.sQooiri' jiiet Latilla in the passage nesa-r. the,, main staircase. She was in a highly excited state. He told her to leave in the morning. Defendant, Seeker, appeared round the corner of the lift well a few yards away. He xe-vned pretty drunk, ami i,s derneauoui;. was aggressive.

Witness pushed defendant away and thought lie fell down, hut lie was not sure. W itnesK then walked on in the direction of the stair head. He was .just looking down to see who was coming up when someone came from heliilid and hit him on the left side of the head. Witness did not see who it was. Everything went black, and witness came down on his knees, f-lis next recollection was some time early in the morning in bed, when be remembered the struggle and someone throwing him about, but lie could not tell clearly what happened after the blu\y r . He later rang- the : police, and reported’the matter to head office.

Cross-examined, witness said he was not on the verge of a nervous breakdown pridr feoi the affray. He did not hear defendant apologise and say the noise was his fault, and not bliss Latiila’s. He denied calling defendant a “conceited young puppy” or making any offensive remark about the party he was with. Witness did not punch defendant.