AN INGLEWOOD SENSATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1751, 13 November 1917, Page 3

AN INGLEWOOD SENSATION.

A FARMER’S TROUBLES. MILKING MACHINERY BLOWN UP BY DYNAMITE. At the Inglewood S. M. Court last Friday, Henry Hine, Waiongona, sued J. Drosdowski for assault. Henry Hine, farmer, Waiongona, deposed that, while be was milking, his wife drew his attention to some cattle in his paddock and on the road. As no one appeared to be in eharge-'of them, witness drove the cattle out. Half an hour later, when opening the gate to drive to the factory, he saw defendant, who asked why witness interfered with his cattle. Witness replied that he only drove two out of his paddock. Defendant, who was in an excited mood, adopted a threatening attitude and abused witness. Later, witness jumped out of the cart to shut his gate, when defendant caught hold of his wrists, shook him, and gave him a slap in the face with his open hand. Complainant said ten months ago witness had said defendant should be on Somes Island. Since then he had done his best to avoid defendant. The remark re Somes Island was called forth by defendant having said, half in joke, that he would be on the farm owned by plaintiff’s son when the latter went to the front. Witness did not dog the cattle at the time of the assault, nor did he say that a German had been grazing’ the roads while the British were fighting for him. Witness did not adopt a threatening attitude. The magistrate held that defendant was in the wrong in allowing the cattle into the paddock, and that the dogging was an exaggeration. The assault was admitted, and the evidence on the question of provocation was oath against oath, there being no corroborative evidence. Defendant was convicted and fined £1 and costs. On Friday night Hine’s milking machinery was blown to atoms. There is no clue to the perpetralor.