Magistrate’s Court, Kumara.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1922, Page 4

Magistrate’s Court, Kumara.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21

(IVfore Vi’, Meldi mn, F-q., S.M.)

The police charged William H. Hatson, -Master of the Old People’s Home, with having assaulted Robert Ireland, an inmate, on May 2(>th. | Robert Ireland gave evidence—l am | P 5 years of age and have been tn the . home over 12 years. . 1 remember be- I j,,g assaulted last month. 1 had been urTthe town that day. T was at Mis Stewarts and had a cup of tea and left there at five past four for the home. Mv mate, Collins, was in the hut when I arrived hime. We had tea together in the (lining room. After tea I went back to the hut, and after that went to Mr Batson for some cough medicine. Ho was getting his tea. I then went and sat on a chair to wait. As soon as Batson finished his tea, he came out and startled to hustle me and hutted me with his knee. I was exhausted and fell over. Batson then struck me in the eve, and I sang out "murder, and voniig Mclntosh came to my assistance and took me into the home. Vfter Batson hit me I struck at him with mv stick, but I do not know whether I hit him or not. I novel pieviouslv tried to hit Batson with a stick. .Mr Hutson: Is this tin 1 stick dnoed) von broke over my bead. Ireland: Yes, that’s the rotten old stick I had. |.\ .Mclntosh said:: I am a busbman, ami was employed at the Home till Mav ill. (hi May 25 1 (V:, s having tea' in the kitchen when I heard a scuffle oil the verandah. T heard Batson say: “Clot to hell out <»t this. vmi old b then I heard a seufile down the path. Ireland sung out “murder, murder.” I then went out and Ireland said to Batson. "I il summons von for this.” Ireland was then silting on the ground leaning against Batson’s legs. Batson was staiidiiui’ up. Ilat-oii asked me togne 1d,,, a hand to lift Ireland up. Ireland told me then that Batson had hit him in the eye. I noticed a little blood on tlie opposite side of Ireland s face. I took Ireland into the cottage. T was at the Home about 12 weeks working. During that time I saw Ireland every day and never saw any signs of drink on him.

To Mr Batson: When I heard noise 1 came out at the hack door, and you asked me to give you a hand to lift Ireland up. I did not see him strike you with a stick. 1 did not see blood streaming down your hack,- ami | dii| not tell you there was in) mark oil Ireland. I)r Daniels said : I examined Ireland, he lmd a black eye. 1 could not say how it v.as caused, lie said that hatsou had done it. Rater in the day, I visited the Home and asked Ireland if he had any oilier injury, and he said ini.

Thomas Collins said : lam an inmate at the Home. I previously occupied a hut v. ii h 1 1 eland. I have known Ireland for years. We had tea in the dining room that evening. Ireland was in the hut with me about 4.30. Ireland was then sober. If In i Ireland) takes a drink he always talks about il. His ~y,. was then discoloured. To M r Bat non : ! !•« vo In eii in the In" sjy wars and eight months. | do not lememher Ireland hurtling any blankets. When Ireland came to the hut his eve was injured. Constable Pox said: On May 2f> Ireland made a complaint, ill consequence of which I saw Mr Batson during the afternoon, and he (Batson said he had seen Ireland coming from town just before tea, and he was then very much under the influence of drink, and Ids comlitir.n was such that he Batson) was half a mind to stop him going to tea hut afterwards changed his mind, .lust before six o’clock he saw In land coining from the dining room, lie was staggering and lie thought lie might fall down, lie then caught him by the arm ami when lie did so Ireland struck him with the slick and wdiil-t in the act overbalanced am! tell to the ground. He (liaison) denied striking Ireland. Personally, said witness, I have known licluml for two veins, and have never known him to he under the inllueiiee of drink. William Henry Batson said: I am Master ol the Home. I saw Irejand on May 25. lie was coming through the gate at about live o’ehnk. I noticed he was staggering, and I went through the hail; duur to meet and stop him going to the tea-table, hut eventually changed my mind. 1 then went into my own inum and told Mis Batson that Ireland had hern having drink again, and something would have to he dune. As Ireland went round the come, intii the yard he blundered into it and Id, mil a big swear.- I noticed him stagger by the wood heap and ran over and caught him hv the shoulder and said, "' nine on home, Boh, you have been drinking again.” lie then hauled off with hi- stick, hut I dueled and the slick wont over my shoulder, and he went partly on tn the ground. 1 lifted him tip again and he then struck me on the head. I called out to Prank Mclntosh and told him to take liolaml to the hut and lie did so. When Mclntosh came hack I asked him if Ireland was put to lied and he ioplied : "No, he would not go.” About 7 o’clock 1 went over to the home and the girls complained that Ireland wauled to i nine in. At !) o’clock I again went to see Ireland and he-was then snoring. Next, morning I noticed Ireland had a black eye hut could lint find out how it happened. To the Hour. Sergeant: I could not say why Ireland came out of the hut to get his hat. Ireland said it was me (Batson). Who gave him the black eye?- -It- is nothing new to hear patients calling out “Murder,” “Murder 1” Ireland was drunk that night and I will swear it. Belaud always limps. He takes more physic in a week than the other pali nil s do in six months. Or Dan-el recalled by Mr Batsoil) said: You showed me a wound which you said had been caused by Ireland. Tlnne was an abrasion of lie skin. It was more in the nature of a glancing blow. The Magistrate in giving judgment said tin'll, the evidence was conflicting. It was, however, clear that an assault had been committed. Tim ovi--leure of Mef II lush went, to prove that Batson was the aggressor. !| seemed a very wrong thing that the old man should have been so roughly handled by Batson. The evidence of the doctor went to show that ihe, injury to Batson was trivial, whilst on the other hand Ireland had been very roughly handled indeed. He would inflict a fine of L'2 with costs. (Grey “Star” Report).