Marton District

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 December 1948, Page 2

Marton District

Charge of Assault Against Tutaenui Farmer Dismissed Arrested by the Marton police on Monday evening, Walter Herbert Hill, farmer, Tutaenui, Marton, appeared hi the Marton Court yesterday morning before Messrs. A. J. B. Sicely and H. J. Higham J’s.P. charged with assaulting Edwin Gustav Friedrich, farmer, Pukepapa Road, Marton, on November 29. After hearing the evidence, in which it was alleged that acused withdrew a skinning knife from his shirt at the time of the offence, tne Bencn dismissed the case on the grounds that there was reasonable doubt that the accused had committed an assault. The accused, who was represented by Mr. K. A. Williams, pleaded not guilty. Sergeant W. J. Brown conducted the case for the police. The first witness, Elsie Kubecca Friedrich, said the accused called at her home at about i 1.20 a.m. on Monday and asked if he could have his phone re-installed and also a pair or slippers, that he had sent to her daughter. Witness told him tnat she did not have the slippers and the telephone was nothing to do with her. Accused stayed lor some minutes and all tne time kept one hand inside his shirt as though clutching something. Bile told accused two or three times to leave and when her husband arrived, Hili made oil. Her husband ran after accused and near the gate she saw her husband fall backwards. She did not see mil actually assault her husband, her view being obscured. While working in a paadocK some 20 chains from the house, said E. G. Friedrich, he hearu that Hill had arrived at his home, .tie leit his work and saw Hill at the front door. Hiiii'e Appears. “Accused made on and 1 went after him,” said witness. “Hill lifted the latch off the gale and then swung round, nulling out a knife from under his shirt. Accused dived and struck me and I fell backwards over the garden in trying to dodge;’ added witness. The accused then walked towards his car holding the knife upwards. “I was bewildered when I saw him pull the knife out of his shirt,” said witness, who added he did not know with what hand Hill had struck him. Witness received no injuries. Asked by Mr. Williams what his object was in chasing the accused when Hill was already leaving, witness said Hill had pestered him so much “that if I could have given him a lilt under the ear he’d have got it, but he got in first.” To a further question, witness said that Hill might have thought he witness was after him. Constable W. T. Paget said he arrested the accused at 7.20 p.m. on Monday night and told him of the complaint made to the police. Asked lor the knife he was alleged to have used,, accused said he did not have it. The accused in evidence, after relating the conversation he had with Mrs. Friedrich, said he was leaving the premises when he heard Mr. Friedrich running after him shouting in an aggressive mood. At the gate, he thought Friendrich was going to strike him and he took out the knife he had in his shirt. Mr. Friedrich fell over about two yards from the gate. Witness said he did not punch or push Friedrich, who later got up and witness went home. Sergeant Brown: Why did you carry the knife in your shirt? Witness: I don’t know. To Sergeant Brown witness said he did not remember being told some time ago the slippers were at the police station. He went out to Friedrich’s place to get their permission to have his telephone restored and to make friends with Mrs. Friedrich. He denied that he knocked Friendrich over. After reviewing the evidence, Mr Williams said that the Bench had to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that an assault had been committed, before entering a conviction. Friedrich may have stumbled and fell; there were no witnesses to the assault. “There is a serious element of doubt and there would be a grave responsibility to convict where this is evident,” added Mr. Williams. In dismissing the case, the Bench said there was a doubt that accused struck Friedrich, and on Friedrich’s own evidence he admited that he chased the accused with the object of striking him. The Bench commented that accused was putting himself in a dangerous position as he was bound over to keep the peace. MORE DEATHS BUT FEWER BIRTHS IN MARTON. An increase in deaths but fewer births are features of last month’s vital statistics for Marton, compared with the corresponding period in 1947, according to figures released at the close of business yesterday bv the postmaster. Mr. G. E. Mitchell. Marriages also showed a slight decline. Last month there were 10 births compared with 12 the previous November while there were four deaths as against one in 1947. Marriages totalled seven, there being six for the same period last year. For the 11 months of this year th< statistics are:—Births 141 (136); deaths 32 (26); marriages 54 (71). AMENITIES AT MARTON GUN CLUB GROUND PRAISED. High praise for the amenities provided by the Marton Gun Club at its ground for the big open shoot held last week-end, was paid by visiting shooters, who ail commented upon the very efficient arrangements made. One marksman, Mr. S. Tisdell, Wellington, who has had considerable experience on various gun club grounds, said that with the exception of Dunedin, Marton possessed one of the prettiest grounds in the Dominion. The grounds, situated on Mr. G. Lampp’s property, Tutaenui Road, are bounded on the western side by some beautiful native bush. An official of the club yesterday expressed, on behalf of the shooters, his grateful appreciation of the valuable assistance received from the ladies’ committee of the Gun Club. In charge of the catering arrangements, they prepared an excellent “spread” despite the /act that the attendance exceeded all expectations. The first open shoot organised by the club proved very successful financially and otherwise and the ofcials extended thanks to all those who had voluntarily given of their services. He particularly mentioned the score-book and score-board officials. the clay bird attendants, messengers and the ladies, all of whose careful work contributed largely to the successful venture. DISCUSSION AT LUTHERAN FELLOWSHIP MEETING. The Second Advent of Christ was the seasonal topic for discussion at the monthly Lutheran Fellowship evening last Sunday. A well attended meeting followed the discussion with keen interest. “The visible second coming of Christ at the end of the world has been the hope and happy expectation of the Christians since the time Christ promised His disciples that He would return and receive them to Himself,” said the Pastor, Rev. M. R. R. Heidrich in introducing the subject. There were many fanciful notions current in the church relative to the supposed Coming to set up a miTlenial reign with Jerusalem as the administrative centre, said the Pastor. These were the result of arbitrary

methods of interpretation. Many found a fatal fascination in date setting and in trying to write current history on the basis of inspired prophecy. It was necessary to follow commonsense rules of interpretation and the words of the Bible must be allowed to mean what they naturally meant. In dealing with a dark and difficult book like Revelations great restraint and caution was necessary checking the interpretation of the dark and difficult passages by the clear passages of Scripture. A careful study was made ol the detailed predictions of Christ and His apostles relative of His visible return. Particular attention was given to Revelations 20, particularly the thousand years reigning of the saints and “the first resurrection.” It was agreed that the Second Coming of Christ would be accompanied bv the general resurrection of the dead, the receiving of the believers into the promised Kingdom, the consigning of the unb'' 1 overs io the "everlasting fire p 1 ’’d by the devil and his angels (Mat. 25). the destruction of this present earth by lire and the arising of a New Heaven and Earth the abode of the blessed. This left no room for a millenial reign. Bv special request of the meeting, the slud'- is to be continued at the next meeting. PLAY AT NGA TAWA SCHOOL LAST NIGHT. The first major production to be undertaken bv Iho recent ly revived Marton Players, “Take Two From One" by Martinez Sierra, was presented by a competent, cast of some 20 players in the Nga Tawa School last night before a large and appreciative audience. The stow of the plav concerns a young married couple who are travelling on board ship on their honeymoon. Certain complications set in botwen the couple and a young ■girl on board. The shin catches fire and as a result the wife is presumed lost. The second act takes place in a Spanish house in Madrid. The play has a particularly unusual ending. The cast was excellently chosen and the detail of settings and effects was done with great care. Tiie plav will be repeated again tonight and a free bus will leave the Victory Milk Bar at 7.30 p.m. The doors will close at 8 p.m.