Three Men Fight With Constables

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 572, 26 January 1929, Page 1

Three Men Fight With Constables

TROUBLE AT ONEHUNGA CHINESE HOUSE ROBBED Yesterday afternoon two men employed on the relief work at the Onehunga recreation reserve created a diversion by breaking into the house of a Chinese in broad daylight, frightening a white woman living on the premises, stealing a auantity of odds and ends and finally attempting to set fire to another shack. At the Onehunga Police Court this morning O. S. Gallagher and James Noel Stock were charged with entering the house of Wall Shing. Neilson Street, Onehunga, and stealing a quantity of tobacco, a felt hat and a cake of soap, while a third man, Cecil George l,yall, who was in their company, was charged with being drunk and with obstructing the police. Sergeant Cruickshank said the accused had been working on the relief work for ex-soldiers at the recreation reserve. They had entered the house of tho Chinese nearby shortly after two o’clock yesterdayafternoon and had frightened a white woman living there. They' subsequently entered another shack on tile market garden and set fire to the bedding. The police were sent for and Constables Hinton and R.atliie caught the accused on the road. Constable Hinton said that when he reached the market garden in Neilson Street he found the three accused all drunk. The interior of tho shack was in disorder and the bedding showed signs of having been on fire, but had been extinguished by the neighbours. He went for a taxi and on his return was accosted by a woman shouting out. “Quick! The other constable is y 1 trouble!” He found the three men in fighting attitudes and Constable Ratliie being severely mauled in a shed. He got into the light and secured Gallagher and Stock without much trouble, but Uyall resisted arrest and tore the curtains of the taxi in the struggle. Constable Rathie deposed that while Constable Hinton was away getting the taxi he had the three men with him in Sam Yak's shed and while he had Gallagher on the floor trying to handcuff him. Stock li.f him on the back of the head and Lyall was roughhandling him. He was therefore forced to protect himself. According to Sergeant Cruickshank Lyall was particularly vigorous iu the cell and kicked everybody and everything that came near him. All three men were first offenders and, at the request of the police, the Justices, Messrs. J. E. Powell and J E. Green, remanded Gallagher and Stock until Friday next,, bail being granted for £IOO each, and one suretv ot £IOO. L,yall was find 10s for drunkenness -1 fo >' obstructing the police and ordered to pay for the hire and damage clone to the taxi. , The police intimated that a further charge of arson is to be preferred against Gallagher and Stock.