ALL ABOUT PIGS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 541, 19 December 1928, Page 1

ALL ABOUT PIGS

HUSBAND AND WIFE TO KEEP PEACE TROUBLE IN AVONDALE Patrick Fitzpatrick claimed at the Police Court this morning that jealousy over his son's success as a keeper of pigs was responsible for attempts said to have been made by his neighbours to drive him from the district. Fitzpatrick, a plasterer, aged 37, and his wife, Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, also aged 37, were charged with being disorderly while drunk in Halsey Drive, Avondale South, last evening. Fitzpatrick was further charged with usingobscene language and his wife with using indecent language, Mr. J. J. Sullivan entering a plea of not guilty on all charges. According to William Arthur Woods, who also lived in Halsey Drive, the trouble had started when he had written to the health -nspector complaining about the way Fitzpatrick kept his pigs. Mrs. Fitzpatrick had used bad language to him, threatening to “bash” him . with a motor-pump, while her son threatened him with the start-ing-handle of a car. Witness was reluctant to give the Court a sample of the language used, but described it as unspeakably vile. Later, Fitzpatrick had also joined in the chorus of abuse against witness. “I asked him to settle it like a man,” said Mr. Woods. “But that was no good, so I thought that the only thing to do was to lay an information.” BETRAYED BY BROGUE

Milton McMillan, another neighbour, was sure that either Fitzpatrick or liis son had used the language, as he could tell by the Irish brogue, even though he did not see the men. “Although I have no ill-feeling against Fitzpatrick,” said this witness, “I do not think it fair that my wife and family, who are alone all day, should have to put up with this sort of thing.” John Kennedy corroborated the story told by Mr. Woods. In the opinion of Constable McGowan, there would have been serious trouble had an arrest not been made. Constable McKenzie, who accompanied the previous witness, considered that the woman’s remarks could be heard 300 yards away. The Fitzpatrick children, who were armed with sticks, were shouting at Woods, who was on his own property across the road, that they could beat him without the assistance of their father.

MV. Sullivan described his client as a decent man trying to bring up his seven children in a respectable manner. “In spite of the cheap jibe at his Irish brogue,” exclaimed counsel, “Fitzpatrick is a decent man who does not drink.”

Put in the box by Mr. Sullivan, Fitzpatrick urged that jealousy over his son’s success with the pigs was prompting certain neighbours to try and drive him from the district.

Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.: When you were here on judgment summons the other day, you told me you were making no progress with the pigs. Remarking that he knew the man could not pay a. fine, the Magistrate recorded convictions against both accused and bound them over to keep the peace. They were ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. “Now, you behave yourself,” warned the Magistrate, “and you, too, Mrs. Fitzpatrick; for if there is the slightest complaint you will, go up for six months, as sure as y«.%i are standing there.” Mr. Sullivan: How can we be sure that these neighbours will not crow over this?

Mr. Hunt: Well, they want no witnesses’ expenses,'so that does not look as if they were likely to crow.