STRATFORD COURT

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 362, 17 February 1937, Page 5

STRATFORD COURT

ROW IN STREET.

POLICE CHARGES.

Disturbance In Early Hours Of New Year’s Day.

A disturbance in Portia Street tn the early hours of January 1 led to the appearance of William Mason in the Stratford Police Court to-day before Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M., on a charge of assaulting George Mumby, junr. Defendant was further charged with disorderly behaviour and with using obscene language.

Mr S. Macalister appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty and Sergeant C. M. Annlsr prosecuted.

It was anticipated that the hearing of the case would occupy some time, as a number of witnesses had been called.

At 2 a.m. on New Year’s day, said Sbrgeant Annits, the defendant had his car at the corner of Regan a’nd Miranda Streets. There were a number of people in the car, including his wife and Geo. Mumby, junr. The evidence vias that defendant had an argument with Mumby, who got out of the car and ran to his father’s house. Mason chased him into the bedroom and thrashed him. During the disturbance the bed was broken. Mumby went out on to the verandah, and when he refused to shake hands defendant punched him on the nose. While chasing Mumby along the road Mason made use of the language complained of.

A Family Quarrel

Geo. Mumby, junr., said that he teas in the car in Regan Street on the Miranda Street corner when the argument started. It was 1 a family quarrel and arose because witness would not go home with Mason to milk. There were one or two blows struck in the bedroom but he was not worrying about that. “It is not a cate of your worrying about it. You have got to tell the truth,’’ interposed the Magistrae. Continuing, witness said he could not read or write and he alleged that certain matter in his statement to the police had been added after it had been read to him. “Did you talk this case over with Maron?” asked the Sergeant. Witness denied that he had done so or that he had had a drink with Mason this morning. Witness AlJlegey Hostile.

At this stage Sergeant Annits asked that the witness be treated as hostile.

Mumby: You can come up and smell my breath. The Magistrate: I don’t think that he should be treated as hostile at present. Don’t cross-examine him.

In reply to the Magistrate, witness said he did not know what the argument with Mason in the car wai about. He Went home and Mason came up later and asked him to go home to Mason’s place to milk. When he refused there was an argument in the bedroom and Mason struck him He could not say what happened on the verandah. Further questioned by Sergeant Anniss, witness said his statement to the police might be true or it might not. Cause of Argument. "Isn’t it a fact that you were pretty drunk in the car and that was the argument wae about?” asked Mr Macalister in cross-examining Mnmby. Witness admitted that he was drunk at the time and had refused to go home with Mason to milk. Geo. Mumby and "Florence Harriet Mumby, parents of the previous witnets, described Mason’s visit to their bedroom. In her evidence, Mrs. Mumby said that when she opened the door Mason said. "Where is that —' —- Mumby?” He pushed her aside and rushed into the bedropm and started punching her son George. At the time, her daughter, Mrs. Len O’Keefe, and O’Keefe were in the room, but they took nd part in- the disturbance. The brass knobs were broken off the bedstead. Both Mason and her son were under the influence of drink. Witness left them fighting and went to ring the police. In cross-examination by Mr. Macalister, witness said Mason was her son-in-law. Her son was now back working for Mason and there had been no trouble since. She could not say whether it was correct that Masoh came to take her son back to work. All she knew was that there were too many family disturbances, and she was just tired of it. To the Magistrate, witness said her son should never have been allowed to make a statement, as he was not responsible for what he says. (Proceeding at 3 p.m.)