WALLIS WINS

NZ Truth, Issue 692, 21 September 1918, Page 2

WALLIS WINS

The Tale of a Trespass •-* ' Paying For Their Sport. (From^ "Truth's" Christchurch Rep.) Dividends of £7 10s and £1 were declared m a field of four, by Magistrate McCarthy at the Christchurch Court on Thursday. The case claiming his -.attention was that m ■ wfiich Joseph Wallis, of Governor's Bay, alleged that Aubrey Wiggens and Leslie Behn, on June 3, had trespassed on his land during a day's' shooting, and besides the trespass, Wallis reckoned he had been assaulted. Because of these incidents, he claimed £10 damages for trespass and £25 special damages for assault. He also reckoned Joseph Garland should part a "tenner" for trespass. Wallis was seconded by Lawyer Gresson, while the worst end of the stick was supported by Lawyer Cassidy. Wallis said he was troubled a good deal by men with dogs shooting on his property. On the afternoon of King George's birthday, he saw the defendants with dogs on his property. He told the men to get oft! the grounds and suggested that if they didn't make themselves scarce he would SHOOT ONE OF THE "DORGS." The men did not go, and later Wallis heard a pea-rifle shot and one of the men say, "Give it to him." Three times Wallis ordered the men off the property and on the third occasion he was struck. Then another of the party chipped m, with the result he was knocked senseless. When he pulled round again, the men were still there. He did not fire at any of them. Detective Quartermairi gave' evidence as to his interviewing th£ defendants and as to statements made by them to him. The three defendants gave evidence that they did not know they were trespassing till they heard .Wallis shouting at them. Behn said they then started to get off the property when a bullet "whizzed" past him, and later Wallis came- along. Then Wiggens took the gun from Wallis and hit him. His Worship said it was clear there had been a trespass and on that information'Wallis woujd be awarded £7 10s, and on the second information £1 and costs.