SHOOTING AFFRAY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12408, 18 March 1911, Page 5

SHOOTING AFFRAY.

THE COLENSO HILL INCIDENT.

At Napier, Dotective Hill arrested a young man named ..Joint Han nay, wellknown about town, ahd employed as a clerk .by the firm of 'R. Holt and Sons, on a chargo. of discharging a firearm loaded with destructive material with in-' tent to do grievous bodily harm to Robert Colhoun^ Hannay was immediately taken before the Magistrate and formally charged wjbh tho offence and remanded. It appears (states thc Telegraph) that I the trouble commenced after thc conclusion of tho Thompson-Payne pictures on Monday night. Hannay was present at tho entertainment and "left tho show accompanied by a young lady. A short distance -from the theatre Hannay was accosted by a group of three young men named Robert Cwlhoun, Frederick Johnson, »>id John Miller, whom, > ii. is alleged, used insulting language | when addressing him. Hannay remonstrated with thorn, aiid a fight ensued, two of thc trio, so runs rumor, being | laid out and the other taking to his heels Ito avoid* punishment. After seeing his companion home Hannay sought his own rosidoncc m May Aveuuo, Colcnso Hill. Ho was not to get homo m peace, howovcr. According to Hannay 's version, the three young chaps, smarting under I the punishmont inflicted on them by Hannay, were lying m wait for him, and j on his Approach again accosted him and another -fight took place. Hannay on this occasion was conquered by weight of numbers, and, it is alleged, received a pretty Bevere hiding. Getting away from his assailants ho made tracks for home, the three giving chase. Hannay Eossessed the most pace, and reached ome without further incident, and the threo, evidently tired with their exertions, sat upon the seat at .the top of the hill near the residence of Mr Treston. They shifted suddenly, however, for Hannay appeared on tho scene with a double-barrelled shot gun, tho sight of which sent tho once valiant trio fleeing like bounding deer. A hail of shot on a sheet-iron fence lent additional speed to the runaways and a second shot soon followed thc first. It is here that the caso against Hannay arises, for two of tho pellets struck Colhoun, one ploughing down his loft hand and causing a blood blister on a finger aiid the other hitting him on the back but not breaking tho skin. Tho roports from tho discharges awakened all the residents m the vicinity, and caused a lot of uneasiness. Ono who ventured to look out eavv three flying figures pass his house and make for the steps leading into Milton road. Suspecting that thoy had something to do with tho unwonted stir ho communciated with tho polico, giving it as his belief that the mon were making towards tho Port. As a result of this, Constable Doylo, of the Scinde station, intercepted the trio, and learned what induced tho polico to tako action against Hannay.