CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8823, 15 March 1909, Page 5

CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

At the S.M. Court this morning Archibald and Ada McMirm were charged that on February 26th they assaulted a child under 14 years of age named Heber McMinn. Defendants pleaded not guilty. Mr Loughnan, instructed by Mr Coo : per, appeared for complainant, Alexander McMinn, senr. Ellen McMinn, grandmother of the child, stated she had had him in her custody over four years. The - boy had always 'been delicate. On the dny in question he had been tieing a piece of string on to his kite when his little sister pulled it away from him. The boy called her a little beast and his mother ran after him and beat him. Witness stated she did not think it was the boy's fault. Subsequently Ada McMinn went out and met her husband at the gate and both came back together, the latter catching hold of the boy and ill-using him. He then cut a. stick from a willow tree, took the child from witness, and went into a room, where she heard defendant beating him. ■ The beating was a severe one. Her son had a very violent temper and she had always been afraid for the child. By Archie McMirm: She had never heard the child call her a liar. The case was not one of petty spite. She did not remember, -defendant getting 41 "hidings" in one day from his father. Leslie McMinn stated Mrs Archie McMinn had met her husband at the corner of the street on the day in.question and said something to him, whereupon he cam© in, grabbed-'hold of the child and took him into' the room where witness heard the' boy screaming. Afterwards he saw defendants walking away from the house with boy in front of them and Archie was switching him across Alexander McMinn, grandfa'ther of the child, stated he was a. particularly obedient" child. The boy had not been spoiled or pampered. . By defendant: He had not given defendant 41 hidings in one day. He doubted if he had given 41 hidings in all his life. . The Magistrate stated he did not think cause ■ had.,been shown., why there ehpuld be any interference in; the; matter.. The ■ parents••; probably/ had a- different, .way of bringing .uputbe childito that of the grandpajentsr. He dismissed; the case. *