Wong Senr. and Wong Junr.

Te Puke Times, 19 September 1930, Page 3

Wong Senr. and Wong Junr.

A Clock Breaking Episode An unusual case calling for the services of a Chinese interpreter was heard in the Te Aroha Magistrate’s Court. The defendant, Wong Hoe, alias Wong Young, a a sullen looking Celestial of about 20 summers, was charged with wilfully breaking an alarm clock and also a wristlet watch, the property of his father, Charley Wong, a local fruiterer. According to police evidence the defendant had always been of an obstreperous nature, and lived with his father and several other Chinese. Recently he took a wilder turn than usual and after wrecking his rage on an alarm clock, which incidentally was produced and had assumed the expression of a dilapidated concertina, proceeded to pursue his paternal parent armed with a bottle A well aimed blow shattered the wristlet watch which the fugitive was wearing. The police were called in at this junc; ture in time to prevent a general massacre. Wong Hee then pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with by the Court. Taking the oath by the time honoured practice of. blowing out a match, Charley Wong, father of the delinquent, said that his son had previously been before the Court in 1928 for assault 'at Tai hape. Owing to his being subject to sudden fits of temper, at the recommendation of. a local doctor he had despatched his son to Hamilton for observation; He had since been discharged, however as normal. As the boy had never ceased to give trouble be had endeavoured to persuade him to return to China, and had offered to pay his fare and provide an outfit. The defendant, however, had refused to leave New Zealand.

At this point the father offered to find defendant’s fare to Auckland if he would go and work in the gardens there. By means of the interpreter defendant said he would do this, and that he could look after himself. The Bench inquired if the father would undertake to escort his son to Auckland. An animated korero followed between all three Chinese, after which Wong sonr. shook his head in a very definite fashion. Defendant then laid claim to his possessions, which he maintained included a large box of goods, including a useful clock. A further keen argument took place in Chinese, the interpreter in due course enlightening the Court that Wongsenr. had bought his son the articles mentioned oil condition that ho would shako the ! dust of New Zealand from his feet. Ail he actually owned was an empty suit case and the clothes he stood in. As he had refused to leave for China the other offer was to be declared "off.” Defendant still scorned to think that the box of foreign curios still belonged to him. After a brief discussion the Bench decided to enter a conviction and an order to come up for sentence, in twelve months’ time if called upon. In the meantime defendant was ordered to leave the town immediately. As the court was about to adjourn agjiin laid strid- 1 ent claims to uaryrtlfractive goods in the large box and gave a mumbled intimation that his going depended on the receipt of same.