TROUBLE AT PUKETOI.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 2679, 15 January 1921, Page 5

TROUBLE AT PUKETOI.

VENTILATED IN COURT

(From Our Own Correspondent). At a sitting of the Magistrate's 'Court yesterday at Pongaroa, presided over by Messrs Souness and Berry, J.P’s., Anton Anderson, sued R. Parker for balance of wages and meals supplied. The defendant confessed *he claim and costs totalling £4 6d, and counter-claimed a he plaintiff for grazing cattle and fodder for a cow. The Court ■disallowed the claim for fodder, and allowed the claim for grazing and gave judgment on the counter-claim in favour of Parker for a total of £5 13s, including corts. At the same sitting Anderson and his wife each laid an information against Parker for assualt. Anderson and "Airs Anderson had come to Parker’s farm at Puketoi to see Parker and settle their differences.

A strong conflict of evidence arose in Court as to what happened after that. Anderson and Mrs Anderson swearing they were both assaulted without provocation by Parker who Then asked them to leave. Parker and Mrs Parker both swore that after a few minutes’ discussion between the parties, Parker several itimes requested the Andersons to leave but they did not do so and! Parker went through to the backdoor of the house and tried to close the door, but was prevented by Mrs Anderson, who was standing outside •with her husband. Parker thereupon seized a broom standing near, and pushed at Mrs Anderson using only ■reasonable force to remove her. Anderson intervened and seized the broom and ultimately let go of it without having been struck by Parker.

M r.s Anderson swore that A riderRon was cut over the eye, and had a large lump over Lis eve for days afterwards.

Mrs Lang a neighbour, was called to testify to Anderson’s condition aft**r the tussle. Constable Fischer swore that m-xt day lie interviewed the Parker’s and the Anderson’s, and examined the Anderson’s and saw no marks on Mrs Anderson’s face where she alleged she bad T>oen struck and found a. slight Keratoh over Anderson’s eve, hut no signs of a lump. He 'decided that the <:ji .so was not one for police intervention. Anderson and hfis wife . then laid informations against Parker themselves.

The Court hold (hat no assault had b ? eu committed ntrain« + Anderson and dismissed his information . Du the eharge of assualting Mrs Anderson defendant was eonviert-od ■and finM 10s and costs. At the hearing of the eases Mr and MVs A r de-son were re ore sen ted bv Mr r U P 'W' ftriretahnna > and Mr T’nrkr.r by Mr R. T. Tinnev rPahiatua).