Street Fracas in Hastings

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 31, 6 February 1935, Page 6

Street Fracas in Hastings

Constable Allegedly Kicked in Face

MAORI YOUTH PLEADS NOT GUILTY

Per Press Association. HASTINGS, Last Night

A sequel to a recent street fracas in Hastings, as a result of which Constable A. Sutherland had to enter the Napier Hospital for facial injuries allegedly sustained from a kiek bv a Alaori, was enacted in the Hastings Police Court this morning, when a Alaori youth, Walter Poki, was charged with, on January IS, at Hastings, assaulting Constable Sutherland in the execution of his duty, so as to cause him actual bodly harm. Arising out of the same facts, another ATaon, Luckic Sullivan, was charged with, on the same date, using obscene language, disorderly behaviour and also with re sisting a constable in the execution of his duty.

The police evidence was that the constable saw a group of Alaoris under the influence of liquor behaving in a disorderly manner and using obscene language. After a warning, was ignored, lie arrested Sullivan. Poki interfered and a light resulted, in which the constable received injuries from kicks, which kept him in hospital for 12 days, the most serious being a double iracturc of his cheek-bone. After receiving assistance from bystanders, the constable arrested Poki and other constable subsequently arrested Sullivan.

On the major charges both pieaded not guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court at Napier for trial. Sullivan was committed for trial on the indictable charge of using obscene language. On the charge of resisting a constable he was fined £3. Ho was convicted and discharged oil the other minor charge on condition that h' takes out a prohibition order.