ONE FOR DAD

NZ Truth, Issue 1187, 30 August 1928, Page 7

ONE FOR DAD

Donald's Queer Idea Of Friendship (From "N.-Z. Truth's" Dunedin Rep.) What niche is it m the make-up of man that promotes one demoniacal outburst to blemish an otherwise quiet and uneventful life? f\ONALD MCGILLIVRAY, taxi -pro - prietor, and successful business man of Milton, was unable to explain this problem when he appeared before Mr. Justice Ostler m Dunedin last week to plead guilty to assaulting Archibald McDonald, an old and reepected resident of Tokoiti. McGillivray's conduct is inexplicable. Though Milton is a dry area from an alcoholic standpoint, it is not hard to obtain liquor there, and McGillivray, though he had the means of transport to the nearest hostelry, did not at any time m his career display an extraordinary inclination to imbibe freely. But he was apparently very much m his cups on the night of June 11 when he visited the. home of his lady love and attacked her father. But the motive? DAD WAS SURPRISED In addition to. running a very successful taxi business m Milton, where he has resided for twenty years, McGillivray owns some property and is proprietor of the Motor refreshment rooms at Tokoiti where Frances McDonald, known to the accused and her inti?nate friends as "Jim," was employed. For fifteen years McGillivray has been keeping company with "Jim," and on the day preceding the assault, they had some words at the rooms before she left for home. The relations between the pair had been rather unpleasant for a week, culminating m McGillivray visiting her home on the night of the llth and. throwing his weight round. Being refused admission, he broke through a window and introduced himself by throwing half a pane of glass and a stone at "Jim's" 75-year-old father whose share of the purse was three broken ribs and half a dozen stitches below the optics. The old man sought protection behind an axe, but this useful though primitive weapon was not brought into active commission as "Jim" entered, . the fray and took it from the men as they were each struggling for possession. At the height of the conflict the old man pleaded with McGillivray: 'For God's sake don't kill me." The accused's murderous rejoinder was: "I'll do for you." The assistance of Robert .Brand, the local schoolmaster, and his wife, was necessary before McGillivray could be knocked into a state of submission. By this time, however, he was m an acutely maniacal condition, swearing profusely, and screaming out for some unknown person to come and relieve him from his persecutors. BRAND'S BRAND Brand has every reason to remember the night as, when he was approaching to render assistance to the McDonalds, lie collected a punch on the jaw from McGillivray who was most hostile towards everyone present. A group of charges of breaking and entering, assault and attempted intimidation were preferred against McGillivray m the Supreme Court at Dunedin last week when he pleaded guilty to one of assault under such circumstances that had death' ensued, the prisoner would have been guilty of manslaughter. Fortunately for the accused, his character, up to the time of the unexplained lapse, had been excellent, and Lawyer Hanlon's pleading was sufficient to induce Judge Ostler to treat McGillivray leniently, even though serious l'esults might have attended tho 'Violence of accused's assaults on tbe old man. McGillivray was admitted to probation for a year conditional on his abstaining from liquor and paying the costs of the prosecution. The prisoner expressed his willingness to pay a reasonable sum m compensation to McDonald.