ASSAULT CASE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 3 April 1926, Page 2

ASSAULT CASE

THRILLING S'l'ORA TOLD IN COL R'i *Uluted [VvhS Ansociiition.) GISBORNE, Thw D:t.y. M .’1 '’■riCrSJ'.i’■■.**■>■■■ -A AnOS: i, vvbn-i three lhinvera llttka I'akurua, md Alanalf- Nur.anuu-. appeared on a charge of robbery with persona I violence. I'lie victim was .1 saddler named Albert Edward Grange who. in evidence, said that on the night Manii 2th lie was awakened by in." .Maori, Huka Takurua, who said lie had a saddle ta repair. \\ it mass examined the saddle ,aiuL while doing so Huka said he had another lie wished witness ~, look at. lie then went round to the hack oi ihe shop. Witness was wailing fni' him t,i bring the saddle, when two masked men walked ill. Dim was a short dark Maori with a mask tied over llis fare to. the bridge of bis nose. I lie oilier was a very tall Maori, and bail a do: I -le-ba nelled gun with him. which lie presented at witness. I lie sli *■ * Maori started fumbling about Oranges pockets, and witness told him to cut Hi lt game out. I'm: tajl Maori ! pressed the gun into witness? s chest, and said. "Up with your bauds; don t make a noise, or 111 blew a- Imle ; through you. this is not a joke. Wet want money. Witness, to put intruders otf, said lie had no moii'i. j Ihe man wilh the gun said. j'Gti.bi him." The shorter one grabbed witness. I at the same time giving him. a blow I tile mouth, bruising it inside and oat. | Witness struggled >' prevent lhem iro.n > robbing him and received another bl'-.v. tills time behind the ear. It. knocx-.! • him to tile floor, where the same Ala , : j pill Ins knee 0:1 his chest and started to ; stiangle him. Witness became 11 neon j scums. I 'poll legal 11 mg consciousness j he crawled on his hands and knees to I the door, which was now shut. He went j into- the bedroom ami returned with a 1 light, to find a big pool of blood where, he had been lying. He then realised j what had happened. A search of ho . pockets proved that lie had been ■'> i nod. Later, witness struggled* to the j police station and gave a description • of bis assailants: to tin* police. Witness ! said he had not yet recovered from | the assault. He had not been able to j work since, and had not eaten anything. Accused Huka Takurua had worked for him for about two months, and km w ' about, tile business lie was doing. He 1 had about L'l3 in his possession at >i, 1 time of the assault. Inspector Ecelds gave evidence as to j arresting the accused. all of whom , pleaded guilty and were committed 10 ihe .Supreme Court at Auckland f h.i. id erne.