CONSTABLE ASSAULTED

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1934, Page 7

CONSTABLE ASSAULTED

IMPRISONMENT FOR MAORI.

COMMENT BY THE MAGISTRATE.

Te Kuiti, Sept. 11.

A Maori, -Henry Wi, was charged in the Police Court this morning with assaulting Constable T. C. Collins in the execution of his duty, using indecent language in a public place and procuring liquor during the currency of a prohibition order. These offences were alleged to have occurred on September 6. There was a further charge of behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place on September 6. Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., was on the Bench. Mr. Low appeared for accused. Len Wi was also charged with behaving in a disorderly manner on September 2.

The charges relating to this date were heard first. Sergeant Paine said that on a Sunday evening there was a disturbance in Roa Street shortly before 7 p.m. and a scuffle ensued. He had no doubt that Len Wi was under the influence of liquor. In the scuffle Henry Wi had his trousers torn off. A European was implicated in the. affair and had a whisky bottle taken from him. STRUCK WITH PIECE OF PIPE. Len Wi was fined £3 and costs, and Henry Wi £2 and costs. The other charges against Henry Wi were then taken. Constable Collins said that on the night of September 5, at about 11.30 p.m., he met accused loitering about Taupirl Street. He had been drinking and witness told him to go home. Witness did not see accused again until 2.30 in the morning. He then approached accused and told him to go home. Wi walked down Taupiri and Sheridan Streets, he then called back the words complained of in the information. Witness said he went to arrest accused. The latter had a piece of iron pipe and hit witness on the wrist and neck, rendering him unconscious for a few seconds He saw accused run behind a garage. Witness was attended by a doctor. Accused said he had had no liquor. Some time aftei’ 11 p.m. he went to Taupiri Street. He was struck on the side of the face and when he stood up he saw Constable Collins walking away. A man told him Constable Collins had struck him.

“Since Collins had hit me for nothix.g at all I started to look for him,” accused continued. “I was standing beside three cars when he came up. He asked what I was doing in the street at that time of night and started chasing me. I had a little bit of stick and hit him with it once. I never had liquor of any description.” Constable Collins, recalled, stated that there was no truth in the allegations that he hit Wi or touched him in any way.

Mr. Levien said he had no hesitation in believing the constable as to the preliminaries to the assault. Wi in evidence actually admitted he was waiting for the constable.

Judging by the other offences mentioned Te Kuiti was not a particularly good' place in which to be on duty at 2.30 a.m. and constables should be protected in their duty, concluded the magistrate.

Wi was sentenced to six months* imprisonment with hard labour on the charges of using obscene language and assaulting the constable and on the other count was convicted and discharged.