ROVING HOODLUMS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 103, 31 October 1938, Page 4

ROVING HOODLUMS

DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR ATTACK ON MOTORISTS • DRIVER'S NOSE BROKEN INCIDENT AT NUHAKA „ WAIIIOAj Friday. ‘’Here we lxnve a case of two decent citizens marooned in a car and a roving band of hoodlums comes along and attack them first with bad language and then one of them assaults the man. This kind of thing w.ill not be tolerated lor one moment,” stated' Mr. E. L. Walton S,M., at the monthly sitting of the Wairoa ' Police Court" to-day when five Maori youths were charged with disorderly behaviour and using ■obscene language. William Mabbington, aged 25, was •charged with assaulting Walter Stacey Clayton, and Harold Harbin Poipoi, aged 22, was charged with behaving in a disorderly manner on the Xuhaka Valley road, while John Reid, aged 23, Sam Meiliana, andi Hawera Meihana, aged 21, were both charged with disorderly behaviour and using obscene language. Mr. G. MI. O’Malley appeared for the five defendants, whot all pleaded not guilty. Sergeant D. Clark conducted the case for the police. Walter Stacey Clayton, giving evidence, stated that at 8.15 p.m. on Oc-

tober 8, accompanied by a young woman, lie drove his car up a back road atNuhaka off the main roacl. The. car stalled and ho had to work on the engine. While investigating the trouble lie heard a iioisy crowd coming along -the road so lie climbed into the car for safety. Thrown Out a! Car; A crowd of Maoris, not altogether sober, cajne over to the car and told him to open the doors. Witness said he would not and the • defendants threatened to break * the windows. They used bad language and the . witness appealed to them to respect the young lady in the car, but they took no notice. After talking for a while, the defendants said it was all right and they would not touch him. Witness got out of the car and some of the Maoris climbed in.

The accused', Rabbington and Poipoi, went to the front of the car to look at the engine and told witness to get a screw-driver. He went mack to the front seat of the car and one of the defendants told him to clear oft' and threw him out. A fight ensued, witness hitting Sam Meiliana over the head with the handle of the carjack! The others then piled on to witness, attacking him with their fists and kicking him. He was badly knocked about. Questioned by the sergeant, witness stated that the accused were very noisy before they approached the ear and were certainly abusive when they got there. They were not sober

Cross-examined by Mir. O’Malley witness stated that the defendants, Bebbington and" Poipoi offered >o help to start the car, but later, on inspection, it was found that they had removed the sparking plugs and so on, so that the car would not go. He waited until some-one came and towed the car home. Witness denied that he challenged Babhington to light after he had struck Meiliana with the handle, of the jack. .. . Wanted a Kiss. A young, woman gave corroborative evidence, adding that the defendant Reid, when he got into the car, kept saying lie wanted to kiss her. She said that she repeatedly heard bad language, used by the Meiliana . boys and Reid). When .she app.u'ed to defendants {jo stop figlitihg with .Clayton, Babbihgton told her to ‘‘shut up or they- wo'.iid put nor to sleep too.’* .Witness said Theyyivere very driink. Cross-examined by Mr. O’Malley, witness said she heard Ba Islington and Poipoi ; say to tie the wires up. » John Mills gave evidence of having approached the car on a motor-cycle. The woman asked him to get-the police. He saw; Clayton' come, from the back of the ear covered in blood and, thinking it was A collision, asked the woman what was the matter. She replied that some Maoris had mobbed themConstable W. Houston said that Clayton’s nose had been broken and lie had a- badly cut eye. He liad seen Reid, Poipoi and the Meiliana boys in the Morere Hotel that afternoon.

They were in a drunken condition and lie had to speak to them.

Case for the Defence, j

Mr. O’Malley said that the accused had <nven a definite account that hquor had been taken, and one or two 1 might have saidi foolish tilings ,to the girl''which Clayton resented. 5 Wi Bartlett, a Maori farmer residing at.Nuhaka, stated that one of the accused, Sam Meihana, was his.; adopt-' ed son. Hi*, had been struck (on the head by a piece of iron. Clayton told the . witness that ho had made a mistake:, in striking the boy. He told CJaytpn to leave the car there for the police to investigate and Clayton said, “For goodness sake don’t do oh at.” He tht'iv,offered! witness £2G so as not toi’chll the police and get the girl involved.

Mrs. Mary Bartlett gave corroborative evidence. The accused, William Babbingtoii, Sam Meihana and Hawera. Meihana, admitted having .a few , drinks at the Morere Hotel that afternoon.

“The story .they, are telling is different from what they, told the policeman,” remarked the magistrate.

For using obscene language, John Reid, Sam MJeihan.a and Hawera Meihana were .sentenced to two. months’ imprisonment and on tho charge of assault William Babbington 'was also sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. On the charges of disorderly behaviour they were convicted and chargedHarold Marbin I’oipoi was convicted and fined £o for disorderly behaviour.