ASSAULT BY SECRETARY

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1930, Page 11

ASSAULT BY SECRETARY

WARM ARGUMENT AND BLOWS (SCENE AT MEETING OF COOKS. CHALLENGE TO FIGHT REFUSED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last. Night. Edward Kennedy, secretary of the Cooks and Stewards’ Union, was an : unsuccessful defendant in an action foi assault brought against him in the Magistrate’s Court to-day by Arthur Ryan, an' assistant cook. Kennedy was lined £5 and costs. Ryan, a member of the Cooks and Stewards’ Union, gave evidence To the effect that he attended a meeting on May 30 and at the end of the general business stood up. and accused Kennedy, tho secretary, of tolerat.ng the victimisation of certain members of the union. Kennedy called the complainant a'liar and the complainant retaliated by calling him a liar and a coward. Kennedy then challenged him to fight, but the latter refused do so.; °On June 4 Ryan called on Kennedy at his office. Kennedy asked him what he wanted, Ryan replying that he wanted Kennedy to get an explanation from a representative of a shipping company as to why the representative refused to look at his (Ryan’s) discharges. Kennedy, according to Ryan, told the complainant to go to — and find out for himself. Ryan told him that the secretary of tho union should make such inquiries,- whereupon Kennedy repeated: his retort. Ryan then told ■ Kennedy that it was time he was exposed, Ken-,-nedy asking, “How do you propose to do it?” “Through the Press,” replied Ryan, after which Kennedy swore at him and struck him on the eye, which was blackened. Kennedy struck Ryan again and the latter’s brother, hear-; ing n noise, entered and saw Kennedy: standing over Ryan and punching him.; Corroborative evidence of the incidentsat the union meeting were given by: three witnesses. Ryan’s brother deposed to having seen Kennedy punching complainant. • -Kennedy, referring' to tho interview in bis office, said that Ryan had told. him that he should not take any more people into the union until he (Ryan) had -a job. Witness ordered Ryan out and there was a scuffle.

In the opinion of Mr. E. Page, S.M., there was no doubt Kennedy was far too aggressive and that tfie assault had been committed. -

An_ order was made directing Kennedy to pay half the fine to Ryan.