CIVILIAN AND CONSTABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19391, 28 July 1926, Page 15

CIVILIAN AND CONSTABLE.

WELLINGTON EPISODE. ALLEGED BLOW * WITH BATON. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 3 WELLINGTON. Tuesday. An occurrence in the city during the early hours of a recent Sunday morning is receiving consideration by the police department. An allegation is made by a citizen that he was severely clubbed by a police constable without justification and was so injured that a doctor who was summoned found it necessary to put three stitches in a wound in the assaulted man's head. The injured man was taken by the police to the police station and a curious circumstance about the affair was that no charge was preferred against the man and he was permitted to go his way.

It is alleged that five young men were stnnding talking at a street corner when the constable arrived and ordered the men to depart. One of the party claimed that as they were doing no harm there was no reason for them to move off. The constable, it is alleged, then asked the man his name. The correct name was given, but as it was a peculiar one, the constable expressed his disbelief. ' The civilian told the constable to write the name down and if it were incorrect the officer of the law could prefer a charge against him of giving a wrong name. Tt is stated that the constable caught hold of the civilian who broke away but was brought down by another constable. The first constable, it is alleged, struck the civilian on the head with his baton The assaulted man was picked up bleeding from wounds on the head and taken to the police station. Dr. Park was summoned and attended to the man's injuries, putting three stitches in one of the wounds.

When the above report was referred to the police officials to-day Superintendent Emerson stated that some trouble had occurred but tiie facts were not exactly as had been reported. There appeared to have been faults on both sides.

"Constables are given batons with which to defend themselves," he said, "and when they use them someone is apt to be hurt. The matter is under inquiry and more may come of it."