R. M. COURT, GISBORNE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 214, 20 August 1884, Page 2

R. M. COURT, GISBORNE.

THIS DAY. (Before J. Booth, Esq., R.M.) Assault. Henry McDonald was charged with assaulting Robert Reed on August 11th. Cross informations against Robert and George Beed were also called on, the assaults arising out of the same quarrel, which took place at the Gisborne wharf. Mr. Rees appeared for Mr. McDonald, and Mr. Turton for the Reed brothers. The Bench decided to take the three eases together as they all arose out of the same affray. Henry McDonald pleaded not guilly, R Reed pleaded Ihe same and G. Reed guilty, under extenuating circumstances. ' Robert Heed deposed he was in the employ of Kennedy and Bennett. On August ll'h he was washing the cutter Iris down, and after he was finished he went to wash the Noko. When on board the Noko defendant (McDonald) came on board saying “ Captain Reed ” and other epithets, saying that Captain Skinner was the nun to take it out of him (witness). McDonald, after calling him abusive names assaulted him by striking him on the mouth. Witness returned the blows. They then came up on the wharf and had a few rounds. A quarter of an hour after this he was on board his vessel, when quite unawares he got a crack on the back of his head with a stick. Next thing he knew was that he was in the water. When witness got up out of the water he saw Captain Kennedy holding the defendant.

Cross-examined by Mr. Rees—A bar named Bobb was present when the quarrel first took place. McDonald struck him first. A man named Burst came and told both of us to knock, off. After the fight on the wharf irritating language was used on both sides. He did not jump over-board—not that he knew of. The marks of the blow have healed up. Ihe altercation did not arise through McDonald asking me for money. Dr. Pollen deposed that he saw Robert Reed on August 11th. The muscles of Reed’s neck were all swollen, and there was a bruise on the lip. A blow from the stick produced would be likely to cause the swelling. Captain Kennedy stated that on the day in question, he saw two heads bobbing up and down on the whaif. He afterwards found that Reed and McDonald were fighting. Burst came to try and separate them. Reed was backing away and McDonald was following him up on the deck. Witness told them to knock off, which after some time they did. They separated, each going to his own vessel, when, shortly after, he heard Reed call out “oh.” He saw McDonald withan uplifted stick. Reed fell into the water. The stick produced is the one McDonald used. Peter Milne deposed he saw the assault between Heed and McDonald on the Noko’s deck. This was at the beginning of the affair. After they were separated a short time he heard an exclamation from Heed, and saw him fall in the water. He saw a broken batten in McDonald's hands. Reed’s brother snatched it from McDonald, and struck him (McDonald) with it on the hand.

The information against Robert Reed was next proceeded with. Henry McDonald, engineer of the Snark, deposed that he met Robert Reed on the 11th instant, and asked Reed for the money he owed. He did not strike Reed first. When in the act of lifting a case on board the Snark Heed struck him two blows, cutting his lip and blacking his eye. After the iigliting on board of the Noko was over, the wrangling was still kept up. Witness got excited and took up a stick to strike Reed He struck one blow when Beed jumped overboard. Reed’s brother took the stick from him and struck witness on the hand, which he put up to guard his head. This witness was cross-examined at length by Mr. Turton. John Robb deposed that he was standing on the wharf when the fight commenced. Robert Heed struck the first b'o .v, Henry Burst described what he saw of the fight. The Bench said in regard to the first information it was shown that there was bad feeling between the parties, and that McDonald had used irritating language, which caused Heed to strike the first blow The serious part of the whole affair was McDonald attacking Reed in a cowardly manner, and using a stick in striking. The blow might have been fatal if it had struck the spine. He would find McDonald guilty of the assault! The sentence was that he be fined £5 and costs of Court and expenses of witnesses. Robert Reed was find £2 and costs, and the information against Henry Reed was dismissed.