COROMANDEL NEWS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 32, Issue 32516, 13 December 1944, Page 3

COROMANDEL NEWS

STOLE LIOUOR CASE HEARD IN THAMES INCIDENT AT WHITIANGA A drinking party on the beach at Whitianga was described in the Thames Magostrate’s Court on Tuesday when Wai Winiata ,aged 18 a farm worker, was charged with the theft of a case of beer, valued at £6/10/-, the property of-John Francis O’Sullivan, and with assaulting a young woman. He pleaded guiltj.

Sergeant N. S. Millgan said the beer had been left in a lorry for delivery to the owner. Defendant stole it and left it planted round the beach. It had been consumed and not recovered. He understood defendant had been employed by the owner of the lorry and had knowledge of what was in the case. When he and friends were consuming liquor on the beach on Sunday a joung woman, with a young man who was her friend, came along the beach. They were asked to consume some >f the liquor and when they refused some of the party became abusive. The woman threatened to go to the police, an:l to prevent her doing this defendant took hold of her, tripped her up and threw her down. Then some other residents came along, and the incident was stopped. Defendant had been in trouble in the Children's Court. So far as the assault was concerned, liquor was the cause of the trouble, said Mr E. B. Clendon, for defendant. However, defendant was only holding the young woman down and he asked the Court not to take a serious view of this. Defendant should have known better as far as the theft was concerned-. He would be willing to make

restitution. The charge of theft was adjourned for six months on condition that restitution be made in the meantime, and on the charge of assault accused was fined £2/10/-. Richard Alfred Paul Chapman, aged 20, farmhand, of Whitianga, was also charged with assault. Sergeant Milligan said that he hit the young woman’s friend on the-jaw and knocked him down when he refused to drink beer with the party on the beach. Unfortunately, defendant had been before the Children’s Court on a number of previous occasions. Mr Clendon submitted this was an unpremeditated' assault and had nothing to do with the previous, convictions. A fine of £2/10/- was imposed.