HOE-GUN

NZ Truth, Issue 1210, 7 February 1929, Page 5

HOE-GUN

Wild Warfare At Addington FURIOyS BOUT (From "J^.Z. Truth's" Christchurch ■/;. 'V ;.:•• /'Rep.) •.. ■•■.■• •'■ If Thomas Cunningham, a labor-. ; er, of Additjgtoni had ever taken on prize pugilism as a profession, : the critics surely would have written pages about his tenacity and courage.in. absorbing punishment. He has had. a couple of goes m public,- but on both occasions he has emerged with the wrong end of the and has been com- . pelled to contribute to the coffers . ; of the State for his aggressiveness. LJIS most recent effort was an unbilled scrap' with a man named Long living 1 next floor: to Cunningham, m Hands Road, Addington. About the middle /of December, Cunningham's housekeeper decided on a change; of abode, and Long did the honors byyconveying her and her baggage to the : railway, station .m his motor cycle and side-car.: For his helpful assistance he was subjected .. to, an attack by Gunning-, ham, who/yisited his. home .on -December 15 and accused; him 'of driving the housekeeper away. . At Loggerheads Without seconds or referee, the men got to loggerheads on 'the lawn fronting Long's home. As Long was a sloW beginner he got the worst of the early exchanges. -According to the story told m. the court, ' he commissioned a handy hoe, and m connecting it with Cunningham's head, the handle of the implement was broken. Long then ran inside the house and ' reappeared -a moment later brandishing a revolver, with which he frightened Cunningham off the premises. ' ■ ■ .■< -.' But Cunningham is not a onerrounder, so he returned tp carry on the fray, and at a, moment. when Long was not looking he connected with one flush on the. jaw.v giving practical evidence of his statement to Long that "he could use .his left and his right equally well." , Though the .differed on most points, Long, agreed with him m this particular statement, as he told Magistrate Mosley, when Cunningham appeared oh a charge of assault, that the accused, could da everything with his fists that he. claimed. '. The police- subsequently intervened, but Long was agreeable to let the matter drop if Cunningham would pay for repairs to his teeth. Cunningham agreed to. do this, but failed to produce the necessary once the set of molars had been re-estab-lished to their former state. Cunningham and his son both gave evidence m: rebuttal of the plaintiff's story, claiming that Long had been approached m a civil and neighborly manner. -.... .." .-. ■ For his bout with Long-, Cunningh.am was. fined another £3, 17/6 of 'which is to. go to Long.