A BUCKLAND "DUST-UP."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 555, 6 August 1920, Page 2

A BUCKLAND "DUST-UP."

J SHILLALYS PROMINENT. ~-£"" It was six years agd'nh ttfedfl&day last that England on Germanv. ?nd all know 'nfjjratfbse- _} nuent disastrous results batants. War is dreadzaL.tfcne., but it seems to beJJHJ in fawS&r jM a method of settling Indifference or* opinion. War between two nations is more or less expected, but when neighbours, in a smaU part of the Globe such as Buckland. near' Pukekohe, convert the King's highway into a fighting zone and they themselves enter into a spirited conflict with sticks, thus creating a disturbance, it is no wonder that nations rise against nations,*'

It was on July £1 Inst at Buckland that Mrs. Henrietta "Steele, Frederick Steele, and Lily W a l sn waged civil war against one another. As a result of the "dust-up" they were obliged to toe the carpet at the Magistrate's Court on Thursday before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., to nnswer a charge of threatening behaviour. Lawyer P. H. Basley represented the defendants Steele, while Lawyer J. G. Haddow was on the side of Mrs. Walsh. Constable Wo'fendale gave evidence to the effect that on the night _of , July 21, in conseo.uence of a ohone message, he proceeded to Buck* land and interviewed all the defendants. All admitted having been engaged in a fight. Mrs. Walsh was in bed with a cut over the right eye, which was also, enlarged to some extent. The "dust-up" emanated over a cow and some turnips. It appears that Walsh gave Steele permission to remove some turnips, to which Mrs. Walsh objected. On the date in question Steeles were getting som*e turnips and the cow cajne alone and Fred Steele kicked her. Mrs. Walsh subsequently attacked him with a stick. Young Steele, who had a bad hand, was getting the worst of the "scrap," and Mrs. Steele, realising this, went to his assistance, and then the fun commented. Mrs. Walsh was hit with a stick, and she hit the floor.

Mr. Baslev said the trouble emnn- • ated over Mrs. Walsh's jealousy of the Steele's being granted permission to take turnips from the pronerty by Mr. Walsh, who had left his wife. Mrs. Walsh saw the Steele children taking the turnips, and she sent her children to drive the cow along to the turnips. Fred Steele, who had turnips in his hand, kicked the cow, and then Mrs. Walsh came alonp with a stick, and hammered Fred Steele, who was incapacitated through the loss of one hand, which was injured. Mrs. Steele then went to the assistance of her son. Mr. Haddow contended that Mrs. Walsh had provocation in attacking Fred Steele because the latter had kicked the cow. Sergeant Cowan said the trouble was purely a neighbour's quarrel. If he was in Mrs. Walsh's position he would thrash anyone touching the turnips. The whole affair arose over Steele being granted permission to f . remove turnips. * ~ ■'.dj Henry Arthur Steele laid an informs mation against Mrs. Walsh for unlawfully using insulting language, <md prayed that she be bound over to keep the peace. Mr. Haddow, for Mrs. Walsh, denied using the language complained of. The Magistrate said it was purely a neighbour's quarrel, and he thought it would be settled to better adviuir - tage if the parties were not put hi T the box to give evidence. On the charge ol behaviour each was convicted and fined ss, while the application to bind Mrs Walsh over to keep the peace was adjourned for a month. He informed Mrs. Walsh that if a repetition of the trouble occurred she would get into trouble. The Magistrate also ordered Steele to cease removing the turnips. He contended that this would be the only means of avoiding a repetition.