WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO A MAN IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2539, 12 November 1902, Page 49

WHAT MAY HAPPEN TO A MAN IN NEW ZEALAND.

A XIGHT ASSAULT IN" HIGH STREET. We have received from the victim tho following account of a determined assault made on him in High street last week : — A plain account of what did happen to a man in High street, Dunedin, may interest some of your reader*. On Thursday evening last I walked down High street from Mornington, passing William street as the town clock chime-d a quarter to 12. It was a fine, tlcai- night, and the lamps were all burning a? brightly as the corporation gas would let them. I may <ay, incidentally, that I drank nothing stronger than tea during the evening. When near Dr Colquhoun's residence, and on the same side of the sticet, I met two men sauntering up. I took no notice whatever of them. I believe I was wholly absorbed in considering whether leading the 10_of hearts instead of a small club would iiave saved a lost rubber of bridge. I wa* on. the outer side of the path aa the men •were passing mo. Suddenly the one nearer me whipped round, and before I could pull my hands out of my pockets threw his arms round me above the elbows, pinioning mine to my sides, and tried to throw me down. I struggled, and we staggered into the road, where I came down heavily on my knees and damaged them considerably. I am still going a bit lame— and completely ruined a most excellent nair of trousers, from which I had fondly expected much good service. Having no otlier means of defence, I called *' Thieves!" "Police!" "Robbery!" I shouted at the top of my voice. I positively roared, but the dwellers in High street evidently pay great attention to their slumber?, for no one came; not. even a bedroom window was lifted. Meantime I was expecting the second man to bring down a big stick or a sandbag on top of my head, but either he experienced a •widen oh&oss ©i heart — wlu>& "win «»n-

likely — or his nerves were a "bit off colour and h© couldn't stand the shocking noise I made, for a sudden twist, while struggling with footpad No. 1, enabled me to see thief No. 2 making off up the street. I wriggled and shouted all the harder, and very shortly my assailant dropped mo and followed his mate. •I gathered myself up, rather flustered and a good deal out of breath, and ran after them, shouting "Stop, thief!" etc., until they turned down Hope street, towards Walker street. Not having lived for nearly 60 years without fully realising that discretion is the better part of valour, I decided to drop the pursuit in case of further accident, and contented myself with hurling after them road metal and offensive remarks. At the corner of Rattray and Princes streets I met two constables, to whom I told my story. They listened very kindly and sympathetically, put it all down in a nice little book, and examined my rent trousers and bleeding knees with minute attention, but no immediate result, finally asking whether I was afraid to go home by myself. This, to one fresh from the pursuit of flying foes, seemed little short of an affront, but on learning I was not a married man they apologised handsomely. I then went home, bound up my wounds, sorrowed over my torn clothes, and went to bed, full of wonder mixed with wrath, at the confounded impudence of the fellows who had molested me. Should this meet their eyes, I should like them to know that if ever I venture through Princes street, the Octagon, or any other respectable and frequented thoroughfare in Dunedin after 10 o'clock at night, I shall carry a loaded revolver, and empty its contents into the fir&t person whose conduct is suspicious or even equivocal. But this affair, trivial or even absurd from some points of view, has a more serious side. The attack was ill-planned and worse delivered ; maybe it was the result of a sudden impulse, but it is quite possible that I escaped severe injury or lose merely by good luck, while to an ailing or nervous person even the sudden shook might readily have proved disastrous. Is it not disquieting to know that it is possible — I may almost say easy — at such a time and place, and under such circumstances, for criminals to maltreat orderly and inoffensive people to get off scot free, and remain at large a standing nuisance and menace to decent people? C.