ASSAULT ON A BOY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18897, 20 December 1924, Page 14

ASSAULT ON A BOY.

FARMER FINED £10. * LOSS OF A TOMAHAWK. A well-known settler of Waikowhai, Edward Cullen (Mr. Grey), was charged at tho Police Court yesterday, before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M, with having assaulted a 15-year-old boy' whom he employed under license from tho Auckland Probation Homo. Sergeant Rowell said that it was not alleged that the boy had been brutally treated, but defendant had struck him, and this was forbidden by the terms of license. Two neighbours stated that they had seen defendant beating the boy. Constable Ryan said that defendant boro an excellent character, but was probably a quick-tempered man.Tho boy stated that defendant had hit him over tho head with a stick because he had lost a tomahawk. He had been struck on previous occasions, but generally had been looked after well at the farm. J. A. Cupitt, probation officer, said that tho boy had been examined by a doctor, who reported that thero wero no marks of violence. Any blow struck must havo been slight. Defendant admitted that he had hit the boy with a light switch. He said that the boy had first lost tho axe and then tho tomahawk, and he wished to frighten him. Mr. Grey submitted that a trivial technical assault had been committed. Mr. Poynton: It was a serious thing for him to strike tho boy for such a small matter. Defendant was fined £10, half of tho fine to bo paid into the boy's banking account.