STORY OF GUN DUEL

Southland Times, Issue 25024, 9 April 1943, Page 4

STORY OF GUN DUEL

Attempted Murder Charges

(P.A.) WHANGAREI, April 8. Kini ’ Thompson, aged 43, a Maori farmer, and Ngaro Moses Davis, a soldier wearing battledress, ■ appeared before Mr R. Ferner, S.M., today charged with attempting to murder each other. Thompson was also charged with the attempted murder of his wife, Mary Thompson. All the incidents were alleged to have occurred at the coastal settlement of Punuruku, 30 miles north of Whangarei. Both men had been admitted to hospital. Sydney Thompson, son of Kini Thompson, said that Davis, who was wounded in Egypt and returned to the settlement on March 13 had a long argument with Thompson, trying to prevent him enlisting. The following morning his father wanted to leave the house, but Davis held him back. Later his father, who was in a bad mood, got a rifle and went to the rear of the house and told Davis, who wanted to talk to hinq, not to come nearer. Davis returned to the house. The witness heard a rifle shot, the bullet going through a wall while Davis stood at the window. The witness then gave cartridges to Davis and he heard alternating rifle and gun shots. Shortly afterwards he saw his father two chains away bleeding at the neck. His father fired twice before Davis opened fire. THOMPSON’S EVIDENCE Thompson, in evidence, said that on returning from a Home Guard parade he found his step-nephew, who had served in Greece, Crete and Egypt, in the house, also that his pakeha wife had gone to Russell, where he located her under the name of Davis. On her return both she and Davis denied improper association. In the morning he asked Davis to leave, but Davis threw him into a bedroom where he picked up 10 rounds of Home Guard ammunition and decided to give Davis a fright. He fired at him without aiming. The witness heard Davis groaning, but knew he was only pretending and warned him he would be shot if he was not careful. Davis dropped out of sight and the witness fired at where he had been standing not intending to hit him. He then saw Davis with a shotgun and had walked about a chain when he heard a report and realized he had been hit, as he was losing a great deal of blood. Both men dropped their weapons and apologized to one another. Both were crying.

The police deposed that Davis in a statement said he had fired to frighten Thompson, who, he believed, intended to shoot his son and wife.

The case- against Davis was dismissed and that against Thompson is not yet finished.