DESPERATE BATTLE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 376, 10 November 1932, Page 5

DESPERATE BATTLE

(Press Assii.-

TWO CONSTABLES OYERPOWER MENTAL DEFECTIVE AFTER STRUGGLE t DOOR SMASHED WITH AXE

-By Telegraph — Copyright)

Auckland, Wednesday. After a long and desperate struggle with a mental defective at Oneroa yesterday afternoon, Constables Hancox and Worts succeeded in overpowering the man, handcuffed him, and brought him to Auckland by launch. For two and a-half hours a battle of wits was waged, and had it not been for the tact exercised by both' constables the man might have injured them or suffered injury himself. For nearly 12 months the man has lived alone in a small shack lent him by the owner, who only periodically visits Oneroa. Complaints have reached the police from time to time about the man, wh'o has for many months been entirely dependent upon charity. The shack in which he lived wa? not fit for human'occupation, and unsuccessful efforts were reeently made to persuade the occupant to come to Auckland and be placed under some kind of supervision. Reeently his actions were deemed so peculiar that it was thought that he sh'ould be placed under control. Other Residents Alarmed Other residents were afraid of him and it is alleged that he made a nuis^.nce of himself by tying up gates and fences with wire. Last week-end Constable Hancox went to Oneroa and suggested to the man that he should enter the Wolfe Home, but h'e became iiidignant and refused. Yesterday both constables proceeded to Oueroa with a warrant for the man's arrest on a charge deeming him to be a mental ' defective not under control. The constables "reached the shack shortly before 1 p.m. They had some difficulty in gaining access to the sectjon, as the gates and fences were s-curely wired up. The warrant was read to the man, wh'o replied that he was not leaving the island for anybody. He ran off across the fields towards the sea, with both constables in pursuit. After the man had covered a mile and when near the- heach he evaded the constables and ran back to the shack. He locked and bolted th'e door, and afterwards barricaded himself in. N6 coaxing would entiee him out of the shack, so the front door was partly smashed in with an axe and the- man was arrested after a desperate en-, counter.