ROUGH STUFF

NZ Truth, Issue 1141, 13 October 1927, Page 6

ROUGH STUFF

♦ .. Seaside Mix-Up Ends In Court (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.) , There was a nursery rhyme flavor about a certain case which came before the Auckland Police Court last week. "THE butcher, the baker"— they were m the clock; while the rhythmical "candlestick -maker" was substituted by just a commonplace grocer-man; be was m the witness-box. A glance at Enoch Knight, the storekeeper, soon put to flight all thought of nursery fable, however, a black eye and abrasions giving ample evidence of something well beyond the scope of the kindergarten. His injuries were the result of a mix-up one recent evening at St. Helier's Bay and he proceeded to narrate what had happened, incidentally giving reasons for the presence m the dock of Alfred Joseph Dagnall (26)\ the butcher, and Alfred Ensor (29), the baker. It was an objectionable word that persistently fell upon his ear while near a bus stopping-place that prompted Knight, as a law-abiding and peaceful resident of the Bay, to butt m upon the two accused. The result was none too pleasing for Knight— -the butcher and baker .resented his interference and promptly commenced to make, a mince- pie of his face. At least, Ensor did the mixing:, while Dagnall stood by and supervised. Knight's evidence went to substantiate a police prosecution^ against the two men for the use of obscene language, while Ensor was further charged with assault. Ensor's story was very different from that of the police witness. He blamed Knight for poking his nose m. to which, of course, he objected very strongly. So certain was Ensor that Knight had pushed his nasal member too far into other people's affairs that he told the worthy citizen of this highly respectable neighborhood that if he "wasn't so old, he would pull his nose." Knight's reply to his little threat, said Ensor, took the form of a challenging: "Never mind about age, you have a go!" And so the row started, Knight striking first. "And then I let go," ndded the accused. Police-Sergeant Calwell wanted to know how much liquor they had consumed and for what purpose, they had travelled to St. Helier's. He was informed that a modest "four handles" had been the extent of the two young men's compotations and the object of their visit had been the "flickers." They had not, however, patronized the screen. The language cost them £3 each and Ensor was burdened with another fiver for endeavoring to make flapjacks out of Knight's face.