CONFLICTING STORIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22260, 12 May 1934, Page 11

CONFLICTING STORIES

CHARGE AGAINST DR THACKER AN UNSUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION. (Per United Pbess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 11. A charge of using insulting words in a public place was brought against Henry Thomas Joynt Thicker, a medical, practitioner, in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, and Thacker’s chauffeur, Clarence Campbell Falconer, was charged with negligently driving a car. Both charges were dismissed. Sub-inspector Powell said that on April 10 Leonard Armstrong was cycling in Durham street on the correct side opposite Thacker’s property. Thacker's car was driven in front of him and stopped, so that Armstrong had to ride into the gutter and fall off to avoid riding into the car. Armstrong asked the chauffeur for an explanation, but Thacker replied that he had a right to pull in. as he lived there: Thacker also told Armstrong to “ get out of the damned road,” and called him a “damned useless cur,” and, turning to the chauffeur, told him “to squeeze the neck of that man.” Thacker and Falconer and also Mrs Thacker denied that Thacker had used the words, and all declared that Armstrong had used provocative language, calling Thacker “the biggest dud in New Zealand” and a “big bluff,” The magistrate said that the evidence on either side was an absolute contradiction,.and he was unable to say which was the truth.