COURT CHARGES BRING STRONG STATEMENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 4, 4 October 1950, Page 5

COURT CHARGES BRING STRONG STATEMENTS

Charges brought agaijnst Laura McQuilkiu, of Ohope, in the Whakatane Court yesterday resulted in some strong allegations and incriminations being

made by her against witnesses. McQuilkin pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and of using indecent language at Ohope. “I never heard of such a word. In fact I looked it up in the dictionary,” she said to the indecent language charge. She then elected to be dealt with by a jury on that charge. The charge of assault was dealt With.

L. J. Bassett, a builder, said he had been building a house at Ohope. On July 17, he had heard a commotion next door. He had seen McQuilkin raising her fist towards the house. She had seen him at the window and abused him. Then she had thrown stones at the house. She had come on to the section and he had ordered her off. She had “laid in” to him with a stick. He had taken one stick from her and she had picked up another. He had then left. He. had gone to the Post Office to telephone the police. McQuilkin had then struck him with her fist. Denial “That’s incorrect. I didn’t touch you at all,” declared McQuilkin. She told the Magistrate, Mr E. L.

Walton, S.M., that she had only carried a stick when she had been under treatment for athlete’s toes. “This man was sitting at the window annoying me and saying he did not want me there,” she said. “This man has said all sorts of things about me.” Then she told the Court about her health and the difficulties allegedly created for her at Ohope. “This man says you hit him with a stick,” said the magistrate. “I didn’t,” replied McQuilkin. “I never had a stick.” G. L. Butterworth said that he had been working for Bassett on July 17. He endorsed Bassett’s evidence. He said he had tried to “break it up” and she had “got stuck into” him.

McQuilkin said the witness had not been anywhere near the scene. “I think these two have been round my Camp,” she said. In reply to some of defendant's remarks, Senior-Sergeant Fuller said she believed everyone was persecuting her. Her complaints had been investigated and .there was no evidence to support them. “I keep to myself,” said the defendant when she was asked if there was anything she wanted to * say.

“The charge has been proved. You will be admitted to probation on condition that you keep the peace,” she was told. “If you do not stop making a nuisance of yourself, you will be locked up.”