A WOULD-BE ASSASSIN.

NZ Truth, Issue 150, 2 May 1908, Page 5

A WOULD-BE ASSASSIN.

MAGISTRATE RIDDELL'S AMAZING JUSTICE.

One Law for the Chow, Another for the White.

A Matter for the Minister of Justice.

This anti : Chow newspaper will never be convinced that the Pagan is a peaceable, clean-living, harmless, virtuous and law-abiding cuss. On the contrary, it has been 'proved over and over again, even out of the lips of the parspns, that the Mongol or Mongrel, or whatever else term suits the yellow brute, is a wretched, bldod-thirsty animal; who would just as soon use a knife or an axe on an undefended individual as- he would rob any white girl of her virtue^ The Chow, as we all know him m -New Zealand, is certainly industrious. In fact, he is a slave, and toils ceaselessly and sells cheaply, and forces white men and women into the bankruptcy, court, and when the Chow makes his pile off he scoot? to China, and becomes, a Mandarin or an orange or something associated with peacock feathers. We all know, further, and the fact deserves to be printed m big, black print, that the Chow is an unclean animal. He not only with his framinghouses : and- his opium dens* afiects the. ruin of the young .white, but he forms slums, because he inevitably stinks the nert door neighbor away— if the next door neighbor is white and clean— and the result is the whole . street becomes Chqw quarters, and the rich landlord doesn't mind it because the Yellow Agony will pay the rent asked. Then, again, the Chow is such a confounded cheat. He sells fruit. It looks nice and enticing m the shop window, but he isn't above palming, off rotten stuff to his , white customer, . ■ m . - WHO DESERVES TO BE ROBBED for patronising the fiend, who, with a lustful leer m his slant-eyes, gives the child that comes along with a parent; , a rotten pear, so that the child will know where to come to at a future date. Then, again, if a •customer who has had rotten fruit or vegetables put off on him, and kicks up a row and is provoked into stoushing the slant-eyed o»e, thero is the very devil to pay. The police are galvanised into activity amd make arrests, and is like Old Nick after a damned soul to secure a conviction, and

the Beak .imposes a- very heavy fine lim- _ ply because it is a Chinaman who has been assaulted, and he further makes some very time-honored . assertions anent protecting an otherwise peaceable and industrial race, who by Law is the equal of the White. Anyhow, it is concerning a Chow, rotten tomatoes, a knife, a young* man, and Magistrate Riddell that "Truth" this week Wishes to speak with emphasised plainness. Last Monday this Magistrate, who is respected generally for his earnestness and "impartiality, had before him a young man named Norman Reginald Smith, who was charged, .and pleaded not guilty to the charge, with having, on March 12 last, assaulted a small but thick-set" unsavory-looking yellow hybrid named Wong Kong, who is a fruiterer, or a partner or something, ia a iWillis-street fruit store. It was alleged by the alien that, on the evening of the date set forth, Smith demanded a couple of cigarettes, and, being refused, he picked up a four ounce weight and hit Won Hi, or whatever his name is, over the. left eye, causing a cash and the waste of much Chow- blood. Then his partner Wong Hum (who did) was called on the scene, and together they chased Smith, who was with a - co^iTT-nion. hut the. alleged assailant got away, and was subsequently •< identified by Wong : Kong, and the police interested themselves and proceedings followed. Now, •Mr Hindmarsh, who aTOionred for the accused, endeavored I 'to elicit from the pig-tail wh«Sher or not

HE HAD A KNIFE HANDY at the time of the alleged assault, Wone with true Oriental "No savee" would ■either admit or. .deny that a knife was on the premises ; all the cunning Chow would say, no matter what the question asked, was that he did not use toe knife,' and. m connection with this' -knife another question arises. When Smith was interviewed by one constable McCarthy and taxed' with biffing Wong Kong, Smith's reply was a proper one, to "Truth's" way of thinking. He said, "If I assaulted the Chinaman all you can do is to -take my name and address and summon me," and because .Smith dvd not then and there say that the Chow took a knife to him, Sub-Inspector O'Donovan contended that that defence should ba discountenanced, and what is all the worse, .Magistrate Riddell, who sided with Mr Hindmarsh, who promptly protested against the Sub-Inspector's , contention, he nevertheless, when convicting Smith, practically held that he should have told the policeman all about it. "Truth" will not say too much on this point, for the simple reason that Judges of the Supreme Court have always held that if a man/ when approached by a policeman, and fearing arrest, is wise, if he holds .his tongue, and shows his hand at the proper time, and that proper time, we venture to point out to Magistrate Riddell, is when before a Court of Justice,' and not before then. However, let us proceed with- Smith's defence. It is simple, short, and, what is more, to the point. He entered the shop with a companion, planked -down sixpence on the counter to purchase three nennyworth of cigarettes, and three pennyworth of tomatoes. He got both. The tomatoes were rotten, he protested. There was . a row, the cheating Chow refused to refund or change the tomajffes, and on the sworn and unshakenxestimony of Smith nnd his companion, and drink could not even be alleged against them, Wong Kong picked up a knife and became menacing m his attitude. Smith picked u» the weight and

STRUCK THE DANGEROUS ALIEN, inflicting a wound.' Ijere, ?t aiiy rate, is.. evidence of provocation. Magistrate Riddell could not very well get away from the testimony of Smith and' the other witness for the defence. He was inclined to disbelieve both when they swore that the weight was not thrown. Granted that what Magistrate Riddel 1 surmised was true; supposing it was thrown and that Smith did sot punch Wong, the question arises was the force used unnecessary ? Magistrate Riddell held that it was. He convicted Smith, and fined him £2 with costs amounting to .over £2, m default seven days. This is, however, where "Truth" comes m. We would like to know if whether a man if attacked by another armed with a knife, and stands a danger of being mortally wounded, he would not be justified m maiming or disabling his would-be assassin. Of course he would, amd Magistrate Riddell knows it. This young man Smith swore, and was corroborated by another witness, that the Chinaman was menacing m his manner when armed with a knife, and he promptly struck him, and yet . Magistrate Riddell has the temerity to declare "that the force used was, unnecessary. Such a ridiculous decision we have never yet heard. That Magistrate's plain duty was to have dismissed the case, to have mulct the Chinaman m costs, and to hare assured him that the individual who takes a knife to another stands m the way of suridon death. This paper is heartily disgusted at thn decision.. Whether Chow or not. no man has the right to take up. r knife, but it looks that m New Zealand there is on» law for the Cliow and another for the Whit*. The Minister of