CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

Shannon News, 12 March 1929, Page 2

CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

NATIVE WOMAN KICKED IN THE FACE.

FOURTEEN DAYS’ HARD LABOUR

Waari Rei, a Native \of Otaki, this morning appeared before Messrs W. B. .(•smith and H. Nicolson, J.’sP., charged with assaulting Kahu Hon, a Native woman with whom he had been living. Rei pleaded guilty. Constable Satherley said that, the woman had given a statement and it appeared that there had been a disgraceful scene, while the woman had suffered greatly as the result of an assault. It appeared that both were under the influence of liquor, and as the result of a quarrel Rei had used his boot with such force as to kick two teeth out of the woman’s head, inflicted a cut under the eye and bruised her body. They were not legally married. The woman had said the trouble- had arisen over her applying to a Chinaman for a job, through which Waari aoeured her of ‘.‘carrying on” with him. They parted, but later had come together again and consumed beer together. The liquid was said to have been secured from a man naiped Pat, who had arrived from Palmerston North in a car. She did not know his other name. After the kicking and the pulling of her hair she said*. Waari ordered her to get his tea, but she slipped away. The constable considered something should be done to separate the two, otherwise . there might later on be a murder charge. The whole trouble was through drink, and the woman wa.s;as. bad as Rei when under the influence. She could use most vile language. Waari, who was taken in charge by Constable Canon, said that Kahu offered him a “sppt” which he accepted —‘ ‘ what else could he do, ”he added. Then she produced, not a bottle of beer, but a jar which they also consumed. Things progressed alright till Kahu went to see a Chinaman, saying she had to get tucker. He resented her going- to work with a Chow, and words ultimately led to blows—or , kicks. Rei said that if the Bench .would find him work he would leave Otaki. The constable said there, was no excuse for. violence, and said on a previous occasion the woman,had gone to Hawke’s Bay but that Rei had got her back.

This .Wriari denied. They had. certainly written to each, other, and ultimately they were re-united, he said. Kahu, on being questioned by the Bench,'said she had no idea who Pat was that gave her the beer. She had, however, secured a jar from a local hotel, and this had been consumed. Rei.'was’ convicted and sentenced to 14 days ’ hard labour in Wellington gaol.