CHARGE OF ASSAULT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 60, 9 December 1946, Page 5

CHARGE OF ASSAULT

MAORI BEFORE COURT SEQUEL TO POLITICAL ARGUMENT Sequel to a political argument which ended in the usual fashion when words fail, was heard in the Whakatane Police Court last Friday, when Ben Hurewaka appeared before Messrs. L. H. Brown and S. S. Shapley J.P.s, charged with assaulting his employer, Manager for Gough, Gough and Hamer, at Matata on December 4. A plea of guilty was entered. Sergeant Farrell stated that ae-, cused, who was a former employee of Gough, Gough and Hamer had a politicaL argument with the manager. When the two met again on December 4, accused reopened the matter, and concluded by grabbing the manager by the shoulder, and pulling him from the cab of the truck. He made no attempt to continue with the assault. Accused was a very respectable Maori. He was not in a position to pay a heavy fine, and as he was suffering from very poor health, requiring special treatment, he could not very well be sent to gaol. The fact of being brought before the Court would probably be a sufficient caution. Asked if he had anything to say, accused stated that at the time of the assault, two other employees were in the company of the manager. One of them asailed him, and he was forced to protect himself. The other man, who was on the truck interrupted the argument, and descending from the vehicle, also attacked him, tearing his shirt. The manager made no attempt to interfere, and it was then that he pulled him out of the truck. Accused was convicted and fined £-2.