THE KICK ADMONITORY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 44, 16 November 1918, Page 3

THE KICK ADMONITORY

EDITOR AND PREMIER'S SECRETARY.

Brisbane lias been stirred by a,particularly interesting case in the City Summons Court, in which Thomas Ellis, private secretary to the Premier, sued John Macgregor, editor of the "Courier,' and formerly on the staff.of the "Sydney Daily Telegraph," for. £50 for assault. Thomas Ellis, in ihis evidence, asserted that ho had been kicked down tho stairs of the "Courier" office. John Macgregor, the editor of the "Courier," said that plaintiff had come to him from Mr. Hunter, Vice-President, of the Legislative Council. , Mr. Hunterintimated that'unless the "Courier" pub- ■ lished tho statements he sent to it he would decline to see fflio "Courier" representative. Witness declined to allow Mr. Hunter to traverse tho leading articles in the "Courier." Ellis, he said, was grossly impertinent and sneering, and he succeeded in provoking defendant by remarking in an offensive way, "Oh, you want to bo like Caesar's wife—above suspicion." Defendant stated that he then clenched his fist and said, "You got out of this office, you impudent pup." Plaintiff got t'o the door and remarked something about " courtesy." Witness warned him that if he did not go ho would kick him out. "I'd like to see you do it," remarked Ellis.

He got so provoking that witness kicked ihim. 'But," he remarked, "it was a decent admonitory kick." "It is absurd," he added, "for plaintiff to suggest that I threw him down a dozen stairs. There are only nine stairs from the top to tho bottom." Ellis had walked to the bottom of tho flight, lit a cigar, and said: "Courtesy! Why you don't know tho -— elements of courtesy."

"Apart from the one kick I did not touch plaintiff," said Macgregor.

Cross-examined .by plaintiff's counsel, the editor said that when a man was defiant and impertinent in front of Ihis subordinates in such a way as would humiliato him if not rebuked then he considered kicking was proper admonition.

Have you anv suggestion to mako as to how he got ihe lump over his eye:--"I have' no suggestion to offer. is possible that he could have bruised himself in tho scuffle, though I do not believe it."

Do you suggest that (he deliberately got tho injuries described by the doctor in order to get a case against you?—"I certainly do." ; Tho further hearing of the case was adjourned.