POLICE COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 136, 29 June 1901, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

Fkiday, June 27.—Before Mr. K, L. Stanford, S. M, ALLEGED ASSAULT. A young mm named Gaorge Sydney Oonnoti wa< charged with having as saulid J. H. Shenpird at void a'i 13 h June. Mi. Wright-appeared for the in-form-nit, 'iii'i Mr, We«tm for the defuridm', who pleaded not guilty. J. EL Bh"ppird stated that he had a Farm on tlio Carringtoa roa.l. On June 13th ha w*s ergjged fencing wi o i defendant on his hnd wi'h riog aid gun in pursuit of gam". Spoko to defendant, ond goli int-j position to shoot the defendant's dog. He fi'-id at th i dog but missed. Conn-t then rais-d his gun, and covering witn si sai-l, " If y-'U shoot my do* I will csho t yo-i " Wi'nf-ss cdlo-1 his sin, <vh > Whs i"i the t'urz •. Witness then a'to-ed his ground and fir. d at the dog igiiii, wounding the animal Copnett thc.n said " Please don't shoot the dog ; I didn't give you any che k," Witness i' pli d, " No, but you threatened t > take my life." C)nreta funned to the biyand said, " I waso'c going to shoit h m, was I, honny ?" and the hoy r jplied, " I doq't know." He then ord.-ivd Oonnstt off, ' When Oonnett g it on the other si'ie of the fenoj he sai'!, " If you don't say anything abou' it [ will give you the gun," atthesime time ofl.ij-int' the weapon. Wi'ne-.s replied, " I don't want your gun, I only wmt you to keep oil ray land." To Mr. Wis on: He had 8| acres; ho ran two cows and a hows on it; no siieep. Ho had not warne i Conn t mt i'o come oi his land. He waited f r hi'n uus'-en, berauso Conn tt had previously shot a har.) on his pr ipirty. He wusdo i'-ousof keeping " pir-hers" nil his property. When, h>i (i st fired at the dog Uonnet was between him hul tin He took g-iod cira to fi-e wide, so as to avoid ths ri-k of h'tt'ng Cjnce't. If Ooun-itt stat d that ■ he sho; was s-; close that the wads fll near him, tlrn ho would be tiling a lie. 110 c-illed out to Gannett before lie fired. lie did not thiok it was a c.-ud act to the dog. lis c -n----sidored he was within his rights. H- 4 did not consider that Cjunott had the right t'i> come down any track t'"ce. E. Sl-oppa d, a lad abiut 12 years ' f a goi so'i of ioforman*-, gave evidence. Ha said defandant t dd his father ho wo-i'd slioifc him if he shot the dog. Witness' father then fitvd at tha dog and wounded it in the fro.it 1 g. De° fendaut said, '• PJeise dou'tshoit tho d°g." After tha dug wns shot defendBut handed his gun towards witness' father aud siid, " Tak-) t'ni*, and we'll let thg matter drop," To Mr. Weston: Witness and his father we e hiding oi tin ir lmd to see the de f enddnt come oa to it, Thsre was a track letding across the land along which paople went. Defendant, had come along the track, but was some distance off it when witness' father fired to attract defendant's attention, The dog was tso near to defeuda&t to

shoot at it without hitting the man. The shot wa-s fired in defendmt's director?. Defendant jumped around, but t did not loek frightened. Informant j than fired a second time, wounding th# | dog as stated. j Sergeant and John Lash- : brook were als > callsd. The latter | stated that on the public map a private right-of-way was shown where the track referred to was. This was not used by persons crossing from the Oarrington to the Frankley Roads ; he had only seen persons owning land in the vicinity use the track. Mr. Weston submit*ed that there was no assault, and tbat theca°e should i be dismissed. He called Geo. S. Oonnett, the defendant, who said tbat on the 13th icst., he went to shoot on Messrs. Olifl'ordV, Cole's, and GriffeD'a plic.-s, having permission to go on these. He followed the river till he cirni to the right-of-way, which was often used by people gring from one road to the other. He was on the right-of-way and trying to gjt a better] place to cross the river. Then he heard a report and felt the wind of the chargo pies hie face. Witness jumped round, in confusion, as he had n9t seen anyone till he looked round. Ho picked up the wads of the charge at bis feet. Informant then, after about two minute', fired again and wounded the dog. When he fired the first shot the dog was in a dire"t line with witness and informant. Witness said, W bat are you doing, don't shoot the dog." When he jumped raund his gun was pointed in the direction of the informant, but he made no statement that he would slio it him. Wimess was briefly cross-examined by Mr Wright. Mr Stanford said he shqjuld dismi-s the case, as under the circumstances he Wiis not satisfied tint any assult had been committed. TRESPASS. G. S, Connett was then further charged with trespass on the property of J. Sbeppuri', onthe 13th June. Mr Wright appeared for the informant, and Mr Wesson for tbe defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Af'er hearing the evidence of-Shep-pird and Connett, the Bench held that defendant h'd been in pursuit of game, and a fine of £1 was "inflicted, with costs nmounting to £1 Bi. PROHIBITION. A prohibition order was gran'ed against a New Ply i ou'h resident, to apply within the Taran-ki and nt district. ALLEGED THBFr. JrtS. Ireland, chirged with the the't of a g.ild wa'chat Icglewo don the Is' June, the p:operty of Arthur McDiiff Defendant asked for a remind for a w«-ek in order to enable him to commufticite with fri nds to get legal asassistan.'e. The remand was grant'd. Ou Sergeant application the inforina'ion was amended to rrad " Abraham Levy M -Duff," instead of '• Arthur McDulf."