MERRY MARSHLANDS

NZ Truth, Issue 583, 19 August 1916, Page 6

MERRY MARSHLANDS

Painted Lurid Red on the Map Gibb and "Gearo" have a Go A Bit of Bluff m a Bar (From "Truth's" Chrlstchurch Rep.) People have often wondered why the suburb of Marshlands is colored red on the local- map, but it is gradually being realised that the map-maker knew his business. Red is tie color symbolical of war, and the Marshland community, a big proportion of which is everlastingly indulging m "free and easies" under Raffertys rules, would probably have taken it as a personal slight if the map-makers had colored their strip of COW AND ONION TERRITORY with anything except the ink representing unadulterated stoash. There i was a time when the Police Court proceedings following a Marshland mill represented a gala day m the district, and the Early Closing Act would always be vigorously put into effect directly after breakfast whilst the local' community filled the courthouse and watched the litigatorial dust-up. Police proceedings have become monotonous now, however, and there were only about twenty or thirty representatives of the district present m court last, week, when John Michael Gearoschowski and Robert Gibb embarked on a series of arguments before a pair of Jays Pay. t As a preliminary, the police charged 'Gearo" and Gibb with using threatening behavior. "Gearo" then " took the floor and • charged Gibb and Frank Rogalski with having assaulted ' him, and fur- . ther charges' and counter-charges' were rumbling m the distance when Lawyer Cassidy announced that he represented Bob Gibb, whilst Lawyer Donnelly mentioned that he backgrounded the good name of Gearoschawski. Sergeant Stewart said the bother occurred a couple of sale days before at tlfe Addington saleyards, where witness, m response to an b.oa, made for the "booze" bar and found "Gearo" and Gibb, scrapping. The hefty seri geant separated the duo, and then Gibb followed "Gearo" and planted a blow on his Jaw, at the same time I calling him A GERMAN SQUAREHEAD. The sergeant arrested Gibb, but allowed "Gearo" to go home and nurse his tender Jaw. Witness's collective answers to counsel's questions were to the effect that both men were fighting like eld women, although "Gearo" might have been m a clinch, trying to defend himself. George Dobbs, "boss" of the booth at the Addington . yards, said Gibb Issued the ultimatum and struck the first blow m the miniature Balkan struggle before the pair of them "mixed it" properly. During a brief armistice, witness told "Gearo" to Tiook it," but another fellow came on I the ■; scene and commenced to argue whereupon Gibb again took to "Gearo." ■' To Mr. Cassidy: Witness didn't hear "Gearo" teU Gibb that he was a fool for enlisting and deserved to be shot For tho defence, Mr, Donnelly called a trio of witnesses, all of whom reckoned that Gibb started the mill, and that "Gearo" was a "pawn m Che game.*' A fourteen v year old boy, who toils for "Gearo," reckoned he blew into the Jaar Just m time to see Gibb, who had accepted a cigarette from "Gearo," rush at a peaceable Marshlander and swipe him several times, telling him meanwhile, that he would knock his asterisk head off 7 and kill him. The sergeant hopped. into the brawl at that moment, and "clotchlng" Gibb's throat, asked him what ho meant by behaving so unßeemingly. Replying to Mr, Cassidy, the youngster said he heard "Gearo" say nothing to. Gibb about recruiting, although he ho heard that gent, ordered to leave the bar, because the barman said he was sick of him. Mr. Donnelly mado it clear that his client possessed NO GERMAN BLOOD OR SYMPATHIES, and then "Gearo," giving evidence off his own bat said that after passing tho time o' day with Bob Gibb In the bar, ho entered on a business discussion, and had given him and Rogalski a cigarette each, when Gibb made a rush at him. Mr. Cassidy: Did you toll Gibb that he was a fool to enlist ?— -No, l said 1 was surprised at him enlisting whllo there wero younger men such as myself and Rogalski. I also told him that I thought ho was getting too old. 1 only meant it as a Joke, and I'd enlist to-morrow if my "missus" would let me. Didn't you tell Gibb you hoped he would get shot? — Certainly not. Gibb's story was that he was m tho bar with Rogalski and another fellow when "Gearo" butted m and extended the olive branch over a previous court case m which ho and Rogalski bad been tho chief parties. Rogalski preferred tho glad hand, mostly with the Idea of getting rid of "Gearo." who then wanted to be m the "shout;" but the barman would not serve him, so "Gearo" persisted that he was entitled to the slxpenco which tho drink would have cost Rogalski. There be- j lng nothing doing m that, direction, i however, "Gearo" blew away and then i carna back, and after preliminarily ' opening a business conversation, said to Gibb, "I hoar you'vo enlisted. 1 j thought you had more sense, a man of your age." Gibb asked whether "Gearo" wished him the samo luck as ho wished some recruits who left Marshlands early m the war, and "Gearo" said i ho did. That roused Gibb's "ginger," and telling "Gearo" that he reckoned that because peoplo left him alono they wero frightened of him. ho peeled oft his oilskin, ready for action. Rogalski, however, got m first and landed "Gearo" a crack, and Gibb followed up tho advantage. Cross-examined by Lawyer Donnelly, Gibb admitted that he was at present UNDER SURETIES TO KEEP THE PEACE. Frank Rogalski's evidence was an echo of that given by Gibb, Ho reckoned that ovor since tho previous court case, "Gearo" had followed hlra around and piled apologies on him. Joo Dunlck, another Marshlander, cropped up In tho back of tho court and volunteered the Information that sotno time ago ho had heard "Gcaro's" pa say that ho would willingly spend £300 m tho process- of annoying Gibb and Rogalski. Questioned by Mr, Donnolly, tho volunteer witness admitted that ho was bound over some time ago to keop the peace. Tho Bench, from tho mass of evidence before them, decided that "Gearo" did not tako a hand In tho fighting, although his behavior led up to tho bother, and Gibb had taken tho law into his own hands. "Gearo" and Olbb would each bo fined 10/- and costs. "Gearo" then proceeded to charge Gibb and Rogalski with assault, and asked for sureties against them, the ovldence being tho same as In tho previous case. The Bench reckoned that "Gearo" was probably as much to blatna as anybody. A conviction was entered, I without sureUefti