NEW YEAR'S DAY INCIDENT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 601, 21 January 1921, Page 2

NEW YEAR'S DAY INCIDENT.

BARRY FINED £5. At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr. W. R. McKean, ’■M., Daniel Edmund Barry, was •barged that on January Ist, 1921, at “ukekohe, he assaulted his wife, Cecelia Barry, by striking her m the head with a piece of wood as to cause her actual bodily harm.

Mr. J, G. Haddow, who appeared "or accused, asked that the charge be •educed to one of common assault. Lsrgeant Cowan, in outlinging the facts of the case, said that on January Ist accused went home under the influence of liquor, and while milking ' n P ro &ress an argument arose. ” bile Mrs. Barry was getting up after milking a cow, accused struck -ler-on-thtr-hcitd-w+ttr a pieceTJT wood" inflicting t a severe wound. Mrs. Barry lost a considerable amount of blood, and it took him an hour washmg the blood from the hair, and a doctor a considerable time dressing and stitching the wound. He agreed to Mr. Haddow’s request.

Accused then pleaded guilty, and Mr. Iladdow, on his behalf, said on the day in question Barry had a few drinks at the hotel and took a. bottle of whisky homo with him and hid it. Mrs. Barry found the whisky and poured out the contents of the bottle in fi ont ot Barry, saying.* Here goes I3s 6d worth. Barry says he was knocked down and his son lashed nini pvita plough chains, while ho also ieceic. Ed some kicks. They roped him and dragged him around the cow vsid. Barry was a hard working man mid .was not of rowdy disposition. Ho asked that he be dealt with in a 'onient manner. SeraAnnt Cowan said that Barry was addicted to drink and tiiis was the cause of the whole trouble. The magistrate said that under the circumstances it was the best thing tnat could have been done when the whisky was poured out. He convicted Barry, fined him £5, and ordered him to pay court costs, doctor’s expenses and car hire, amounting- to 5s 6d.