TWO SHILLINGS OR HALF-AGROWN ?

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 899, 1 October 1910, Page 2

TWO SHILLINGS OR HALF-A-GROWN ?

ALLEGED ASSAUET ON A BOARDER.

At the local police court this morning Messrs Hennessy and Horn blow J’s.P. were called itpon to deal out justice in an assault case in which a boarder alleged that his host had brutally assaulted him by kicking him in the face. The informant was an able-bodied young man who bore evidence on his face of the encounter, and the defendant was an elderly and smaller man. The whole trouble arouse out ot the “price of a drink,” which accused had asked the informant for. Complainant said it was half-a-crown that he gave defendant and the latter persisted that it was only ‘‘two bob,” then the trouble began, resulting in the police being called in. The charge of assault was laid by one William Kirk against John Rogers and evidence was given as follows : William Kirk, who boarded with defendant, stated that between five and six o’clock on Thursday night he was asleep on the couch when defendant came in and asked him for the ‘ ‘price of a drink.” Witness gave him half-a-crown and told him not to spend it all. Defendant went out and when he returned was asked for the change and offered a shilling. Witness said he then ‘‘got on to him” and was promptly kicked and treated like a football, Rogers using the boot to advantage on his face. Witness said he was under the influence of liquor at the time and was unable to defend himself. Mabel Rogers, wife of defendant, stated that she came for the police when the row started. Did not know who started the row but saw her husband kicking Kirk. The whole trouble commenced over some money which Kirk had lent her husband. Constable Woods stated that when Mrs Rogers came to the , station he went to the scene of the* trouble, but the fighting was all over when he arrived. Kirk was bleeding about the face. The defendant, John Rogers, did not go into the box, preferring to make a statement. His story was that when he asked Kirk for the ” price ot a drink,” he was given two shillings. He had two pints of beer and on returning put the shiiling change on the table. Kirk then got up and “ hauled off” hitting witness behind the ear. He retaliated and told his wife to go for the police. He had since ordered Kirk to leave his house but he had retused to go. The Bench dismissed the charge of assault and suggested that Kirk should quit his present place of abode.