SHOOTING OF A CAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 240, 11 October 1938, Page 12

SHOOTING OF A CAT

DISTURBANCE AT DENLAIR TUNNELLER CHARGED WITH ASSAULT. The shooting of a cat by a resident of the Deniair public works camp on August 17 had its sequel in the Magistrate's Court at Wanganui yesterday morning when Richard Robinson, tunneller, was charged with assaulting Susan Sneddon. The magistrate found that a technical assault had been committed and ordered defendant to pay £1 4s 3d witnesses’ expenses.

Senior-Sesrgeant L. R. Capp conducted the case for the police and Mr. A. D. Brodie appeared for defendant.

Susan Sneddon, married, stated that she kept a female cat. Defendant lived two doors away from her at Deniair. He stated that he was going to shoot the cat. On August 17 she thought she heard a shot at tea-time and on going out saw a cat that had been shot. She asked defendant why he shot the animal and he replied: “You get out of it,” and struck her three times on the chin. She called him a certain name. Mr. Brodie: So your cat has not been shot?—No. Do you know whether he had authority to shoot the other cat? — No. Witness denied that she came out to the back door and called defendant “a murdering mongrel.” Her husband did not ask her to keep quiet. She had used an unlady-like expression after she had received the three blows on the chin. She was angry at the time. Asked why she interfered when it was not her cat, witness replied that her cat was the only one defendant was after. She did not say when told to keep quiet that no man in the camp would make her shut up. She denied that all defendant did was to push her off his doorstep. She had not been in trouble before in Khandallah camp.

Alice Mitchell, married, said that it was her cat defendant shot. She went to protest and saw defendant strike the previous witness on the chin. He also called her some uncomplimentary names. Detective-Sergeant J. K. Robertson, stated that on the night of the trouble he went to Deniair and saw defendant, who said that for the previous three nights there had been cat concerts round his quarters and he had told the neighbours he intended to shoot the cats. On August 17 there was a cat under his quarters annoying him and he shot it. . Mrs. Sneddon came on the scene afterward and abused him and he pushed her under the chin. Mrs. Sneddon showed witness a mark of a bruise under the jaw.

Defendant stated that he had been annoyed for three nights by cats. He spoke to neighbours about them. He shot Mitchell’s cat and shortly after Mrs. Sneddon called out to him. He came out and told her to go aw’ay and she stood and abused him and refused to go. so he pushed her under the chin. She was very excited and annoyed. He did not strike her. Her husband asked her to keep quiet but it was impossible to make her do so. Icella Clare Robinson corroborated her husband's evidence. Alexander Lyons stated that he heard Mrs. Sneddon use the language to defendant. He did not see any blows struck. Richard Hudson said he heard Sneddon trying to pacify his wife. He told her to be quiet and she replied that no man in the camp would make her keep quiet. George Robinson said he heard Mrs. Sneddon use bad language to defendant. He heard her being told to go away as it was none of her business. Mr. Brodie submitted that it was abundantly clear that nothing more than a push took place on the doorstep.

The magistrate said that he must find that a technical assault had been committed. He did not find that. Three heavy blows had been struck. He considered that consistent with what Detective-Sergeant Robertson said, and the evidence of the defence, one blow, was struck. Whether it was a severe push or a blow, he was unable to determine. In any case it amounted to an assault. He would accept the evidence that Mrs. Sneddon was in a very excited state and used the words. He did not propose to enter a conviction, but to order the defendant to pay the cost of the prosecution. He wished to mention that incidents of that nature having been disposed of, very often had alter effects. If any further incidents of this nature should occur in the locality they would not be dealt with in the same manner. “I want to make this clear,” said the magistrate.