FORMER PARTNERS.
DISPUTE RESULTS IN COURT CASE. ‘‘Judging by the demeanour of defendant, I must accept the evidence of the informant,” commented the Magistrate, Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., at the conclusion of a case heard in the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North yesterday, when Albert Wilson, retired, of Palmerston North (Mr A. M Ongley), took proceedings against James Purves, agent, of Palmerston North (Mr H. R. Cooper), alleging that he had used abusive language towards him in a public place, by telling informant that he had been thieving off him for years and had been a “nark and pimp” all his life.
Evidence was given by informant that from 1917 until 1925 he had been in business with defendant, but had given it up owing to ill-health and gone to Australia for a short period. For ten years defendant had been abusing him and on one occasion there had been a fight in Cuba Street, while the last incident before the present one had been ten months ago. The trouble appeared to have originated when their bookmaking partnership was dissolved, and a debt of £3OO or £4OO was owing by a man named Friedlander. Each had agreed to collect his own share. Informant had done so and defendant had alleged' that money he lent Friedlander had been used to pay informant. In February defendant had approached him, made reference to this matter, grabbed him by the coat and abused him, using certain terms. Owing to the bad state of his health informant could stand no more of it.
Defendant gave evidence that he had advanced Friedlander money, which had been used to pay the latter’s half of the debt to informant. Every time he met informant ho asked him for the money, but he denied using the terms alleged. John Giorgi, traveller, of Dunedin, said ho was only about four yards away from the pair when the latest alleged episode occurred, but did not hear what was said.
The Magistrate, after making the ob'xwvation quoted above, convicted defendant and fined him £2, with £1 11s costs.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19390328.2.17
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 100, 28 March 1939, Page 2
Word Count
347FORMER PARTNERS. Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 100, 28 March 1939, Page 2
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