HAWERA NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1924, Page 6

HAWERA NEWS.

CHINAMAN ALLEGES . ASSAULT. THE EVIDENCE CON't'RADICTORY. NO OONIOLUSiON REAGHED. (From Our Own Reporter.) Haw-era, Sept. 18. Charged with assaulting a Chinaman named Ah So and causing actual bodily harm, iF-rederick David Edgecombe, a lad of 19 years of age, appeared before Mr. I. S. Barton, S.M., on remand at the Hawera Court this mlorning. Mr. G. H. Ryan appeared for accused. On the application of Sergeant JHenry the indictable charge was withdrawn and one of common assault was substituted, Mr. Ryan entering a plea of guilty. Sergeant Hen-ry eaid that on September 16 Ah So went to Mrs. Ling’s house to get vegetables for Wee On and Co. He drove his cart into the garden and Mrs. Ling came out and accused him of talcing some of her customers and struck him with a whip. Edgecombe, who was in Mrs. Ling’s house heard the disturbance and came out and assaulted All So, striking him several times. Edgecomlbe was alleged to have had a knife in his hand and in the struggle Ah So received, a wound in the head, which, the doctor said, could have been caused the knife. To Constable Mullan Edgecombe admitted -striking Ah So with his bare fists. The Chinaman was a very inoffensive young man and the sergeant believed that Mrs. Ling was the cause of the trouble. Mr. Ryan said Edgecombe claimed that he never had the knife in his hand. He thought he was protecting Mrs. Ling from the Chinaman. He admitted striking the Chinaman and rolling him on the 'ground. He would deny having the knife.

Sergeant Henry: The Chinaman also denies that he hod the knife. The magistrate said a man should make some inquiry before going on to administer the law himself.

Edgecombe, in evidence, said he was in bed When he heard the altercation between Ah So and Mrs. Ling. He went out to And the Chinaman with the knife. Edgecdmbe “tackled” the Chinaman and the knife was kicked away and taken by Mrs. Ling. After the affray the Chinaman came to the house and offered Mrs. Ling 7s for the knife, but she threw the money at him. He then offered her £!• for the -knife, but she still refused. One of the half-crowns he offered was left on the floor and this was produced with the knife in court. Edgecombe had never seen the knife before he saw it In the hands of the Chinaman.

To Sergeant Henry, Edgecombe denied discussing the case with Mrs. Ling either at the house or in the lock-up. At the lock-up Mrs. Ling only stayeu with him for a few minutes and said: “It is not, your fault that you are here. Goodbye.” Her boy came back and said: “M-rs. Ling sends her love, Fred.” ’file magistrate said lie proposed to defer the matter for a week to neo if any fresh evidence could be gathered on the several important aspects of the case, such as the ownership of the knife and the presence or absence of a revolver. In the meantime the prisoner would be released. LIQUOR AFTER HOURS. Mary Cramp, for whom Mr. G. H. Ryan appeared, was charged on two counts with exposing liquor for sale after hours and with selling liquor after hours.

On tilie application of the police Uie first information was withdrawn and Mrs. Ryan entered a plea of guilty to selling liquor after hours. .Sergeant Henry said Constable Mullan heard voices in the bar of the Central Hotel at 10.30 p.m. and saw a young man coming out. The young man was. taken back into the bar and took five bottles from his pockets. Mrs. Cramp was behind the bar. Mrs. Cramp had been very frank with tdie police and had conducted a firet-class hotel, which was in her favour. Her greatest fault was that she was too good-natured and could not refuse requests for drink. Mr. Ryan said the law governing the entrance of people upon licensed premises after hours should be made stronger so that hotel licensees should not be tempted to make sales. The magistrate agreed with this contention. In similar cases he had endorsed licenses recently, but in this case he would take into account the good character of the licensee and the absence of a strong denial of the offence and any attempt to brand the police with perjury, which was frequently in evidence in such eases. Mrs. Cramp would be fined £3, with costs 7 a. MILITARY DEFAULTERS. Arthur Linton and Norman J. Winthrop, charged with failing to attend military parades, were each fined £1 (costs 7s). E. J. Murtagh was similarly charged. Sergeant Henry said -this defendant had been previously convicted three times. It was time that military defaulters were taught that there was such a thing as civil rights. The magifl't-rate in fining Murtagh £3 (costs 7s), issueci a warning that defaulters might be deprived of their civil rights. Hector J. Oliver pleaded gulilty to a charge of failing to attend drill. Lieutenant Steele said that in registering Oliver had -given the date of his birth a«i 1904, whereas he was born in 1903. Ordinarily a boy was posted to the reserve at 21 years of age. Oliver was 21 and he was efficient at the end of last training year and would have been posted to the reserve but for Ids own mistake. A fine of 10s (costs 7s) was imposed. On behalf of D. J. A. Sales, charged with failing to attend drill, Mr. P. O’Dea pleaded guilty and explained extenuating circumstances, which His Worship book into consideration. A fine of £2 was announced, but in view of the circumstances a remission of the fine was made and the defendant was ordered to pay costs 7s only. BREACHES OF BY-LAWS. George Glenn failed to appear to ang>yer a charge of leaving a car,

in the street without lights and was fined 7s 6(1 (costs 7s). Similarly charged, T. K. Moody was fined 10s (costs 7s). Oharles Ward, for driving a car across a. street intersection at a speed greater than six miles an hour, was fined £1 10s (costs 7s). Inspector Hunt estimated the defendant’s speed at 20 to 25 miles an hour, and said he had previously warned the defendant. John Campbell, charged with allowing a, ho-rse tb wander at large in Dixon Avenue was fined 7s 6d (costs 17s 6d), and G. C. Sinclair, who pleaded guilty to a charge of allowing ten cows to wander without any person being in charge, was fined £1 costs 17s fid). In evidence -Sinclair said the cows belonged to his wife. The inspector himself was in the habit of allowing his own horse to wander in the same place. Besides this there were others . grazing the same piece of ground. CIVIL BUSINESS. A claim for £7O by A. Ha trick and Co. against H. H. Moller, and a counterclaim for a like amount occupied the court for a considerable time, Mr. P. O’Dea appearing for the plaintiff and Mr. Matthews fo» defendant. The claim was fur money alleged to be due to the plaintiff but held by the defendant as commission on the sale of cars. A conclusion was not reached when the cc.urt adjourned. Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in each of the following undefended civil eases; —B. R. Long v. E. HilL £4 15s (costs £1 3s 6d); same v. L. Coe, £3 5s (£1 10s fid); same v. H. Ralls, costs only, £1 ss; E. B. Shaw v. J. Barras, £72 (£4 Us In a judgment summons case, at the suit of the Deputy Official Assignee in the estate of J. W. Turnbull. Tommy Tutawa was -ordered to pay £B2 IGs (costs £2 2s) forthwith, in default 86 days’ imprisonment. THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. FAREWELL AT HAWERA. Their Excellencies, Lord and Lady Jellicoe and the Hon. Lucy Jellicoe, said farewell to Hawera Ibis morning as they passed through on the mail train. A large crowd had assembled on the platferm of the Hawera railway station and the vice-regal party were given a rousing reception as the train drew in. The western end of the platform was occupied by adults, while pupils of the various schools were drawn up in lines at the,other end. Tn addition to the Mayor (Mr. L. A. Bone) a number of borough councillors were present, also the ex-Mayor and ex-Member for the district, Mr. E. Dixon.

In a farewell speech. Mr. Bone said ho was truly voicing the thoughts of ill! the citizens of Hawera when he expressed his great sorrow that the time had come to bid Their Excellencies good-

bye. Mr. Bone paid a high tribute to the manner in which Lord Jellicoe had entered into the lives and aspirations of the people and to tlhe very capable manner in Which he had filled the position as Governor-General of New Zealand, in conclusion Mr. Bone referred to th? very valuable services rendered by Lord Jellicoe on the -Navy during the Great War and all the people of Hawera expressed the hope that he would l>e spared to take further part in the affairs of the Old Country. His Excellency, briefly replied and after being greeted with rounds of applause inspected the school children. Several presentations were, made by the Children to Their Excellencies and also to the Hon. Lucy Jellicoe, who cordially thanked the children for their kindness and good wishes. A memorable and very pleasing ceremony in the history of Hawera was brought to a close by the combined schools giving three -hearty cheers to Their Excellencies, who then boarded the train for the south.