A PUGNACIOUS PAIR.

NZ Truth, Issue 12, 16 November 1907, Page 5

A PUGNACIOUS PAIR.

A BATTLE ON THE BEACH.

A Story From Gisborne.

Heaven only, knows how some brutal specimens of humanity get into the police force ; perhaps their brutishness is a recommendation. "Truth" has indignant information about a Gisborne bobby named Irwin who is. alleged to have fallen on the captain of a tug named Coleman, and, with the aid of a mate, battered him into a state of helplessness. Coleman states that he was walking along Kaiti beach and stood for a while to pick up the lights, when a man sprang out of the fennel and asked him if he was looking for anyone* Coleman remarked that he was, but wanted to know if it had anything to do with Irwin* if it turned out that the bobby was the fennel groper. Irwin threatened to throw the mariner m the sea, and a warm argument followed, m the course of which Irwin gaVe the unoffending captain A' BLOW ON THE JA.W, which felled him. The scrap which followed would have been interesting for the exasperated tug master got up and threw the big-footed person over on his back, but the peeler roared out to his mate, a person named Bill Morrel, to come to his assistance, and the fennel gave up another hider. The. stout-hearted sailor was unequal to the two cowards, who knocked him down and pasted real hell out of him while he was- m a recumbent position. The commotion caused two other people to rise out of the fennel, and thes<? proved to be the tarts of the savage pair, who called upon the infuriated curs to let the unfortunate man up. Morrel desisted from the attack, but the policeman continued to sit upon his victim, who managed to throw him off. The bobby then remarked to to Coleman, "Now, get !" Coleman ignored this command, and mtimated. that he was going to follow his enemies until he learnt their identity. Thereupon the long slab of misery stuck his chest out, and said, "I'm Constable Irwin, and if you don't get quick I'LL LOCK YOU UP," Coleman had no time ftir this empty threat, but kept his assailants m view until he met Bobby Pratt at the P.O. That intensely smart officer recognised Irwin, but before anything definite was done the two men had disappeared. Coleman then laid an information with the sergeant at the police station, but it was not until a few days ago that Coleman was asked to identify one of his subposed assaulters at the station. Of course it wasn't the man, and Colenian, who is probably ignorant of the forms of law, has no option but to undertake the expense of -a private prosecution. "Truth" has obtained the above particulars from a correspondent who gives it as the story of Coleman, and it is published without prejudice. There are always two sides to every question, but the above is so circumstantial as to justify searching inquiry by tbe authorities. "Truth" knows of r.a law which prevents a policeman taking a tart into rustic byways, tar from the madding crowd, and even j buying her with tenderness, if he ] is so minded, but to maltreat a modern mariner is an unjustifiable thing. Hint is presuming; there was a tart for two bits of skirt>_, and that the violence did happen m the manner described.