SHOPKEEPER CHARGED

Southland Times, Issue 19822, 19 March 1926, Page 4

SHOPKEEPER CHARGED

ALLEGED ASSAULT. CHINAMAN INJURED. (Per United Press Association » Blenheim, Mar. 18. Considerable public interest has been manifested in the hearing, before Mr Maunsell, S.M., of charges against William George Burton, a well-known Blenheim shopkeeper, arising out of an affray on the evening of March 2, when a Chinese laundry was wrecked and its manager was pushed through a plateglass window, sustaining a nasty cut on the arm in the process. The police alleged that Burton was the author of the damage and the causitive agent of the Chinaman’s injuries, and he was charged on two counts —First, that on March 2 he wilfully damaged four panes of glass valued at £ll 16/3, the property of Jim Lee, this constituting an offence of mischief. Burton was informed when -the charge was read that the alleged offence was an indictable one. He therefore had the option to be tried before a Magistrate or before the Supreme Court. Rather unexpectedly he announced that he preferred a trial by Jury. His Worship remarked that the case could have been brought within Magisterial jurisdiction by charging accused under the Police Offences Act, and after consideration Sergeant Stark asked leave to prepare a fresh charge and withdraw the charge already read. Mr A. A. Mac Nab, who appeared for accused, objected to the charge being amended as suggested, and it was finally agreed to leave the point in abeyance and proceed with the second charge as assault. Sergeant Stark, in outlining the case for the prosecution, said that on the night of March 2 Burton visited the laundry and asked for his collars, but there were no collars of his in the place, and he then lost his temper and assaulted the Chinese manager, Ngan Tong, catching him by the throat a.id pushing him through the window, after which he proceeded to heave portmanteaux, f '- n , through the broken panes of glass. The Chinaman had sustained a bad cut on the arm which had necessitated his removal to the hospital for treatment ever since. The defence was that there was no actual assault. Burton was on friendly terms with the Chinese generally and called at the laundry. Ngan Tong made a remark about a person whom Burton held in high esteem. Burton became angry and the Chinaman, possibly frightened by Burton’s demeanour, stepped back through the window which went nearly to the ground. Burton would admit however that in his anger he threw one basket through the window. The Magistrate decided to give the option of a fine and fined defendant £lO and costs. The objection withdrawn to the indictable charge being amended Burton was formally charged, under the Police Offences Act, with wilfully damaging four panes of glass valued at £ll 16/3, the property of Jim Lee. Burton pleaded guilty and without further evidence being called was caxwricted