AN ATTACK ON A POLICEMAN.

Kaikoura Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 64, 17 August 1944, Page 2

AN ATTACK ON A POLICEMAN.

AUCKLAND, August 11. A constable was shot in the left elbow when he attempted to conduct three men to the Newton Police Station early this morning. He was Constable Richard Thomas Mayer. The constable was on duty in Karangahapc Road shortly before 1 o’clock, being the .only policeman in that area at the time. When near the corner of Karangahape Road and France Street, he heard the sound of breaking glass, and walked towards Upper Queen Street.

Outside the premises of the Wholesale Clearing Company he saw a man standing on the footpath. This man denied hearing breaking glass, but while the constable was speaking to hin} he noticed two other men in the doorway of the premises. Noticing a glass panel near the lock smashed, the constable requested all three mpn to accompany him to the Newton Police Station and the four started to walk along Kara ngahape Road, the constable being in the rear. Near the corner of France Street one of the men said he wished to use the telephone and dashed away. The other two men immediately fol lowed suit, but the constable caught one and a struggle began. The two other njen then returned, one of them joining in the attack on the constable. The constable had drawn his baton, but he was unable to use it, as his assailants forced him against the wall of the building. The constable saw the third man put his right hand in an overcoat pocket and pull out something which shone in the light of the street lamp. Eventually, after the constable had been severely punished about the head and face, the two men who were attacking him broke away. As Constable Mayer fell to the footpath he heard a report like a revolver shot. The next thing he remembers was when a taxi-driver rolled him over on his bark on the footpath. At Constable M direction the taxi-man went ;

Newton Police Station and returned with Sergeant Dennehy, who found Constable Mayer very distressed and bleeding fron} the face. He had a bullet wound in the fleshy part of the left elbow. The bullet had missed the bone. No arrests have yet been made.