A FARMER ASSAULTED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 217, 13 March 1914, Page 6

A FARMER ASSAULTED.

j Bi' TWO EMPLOYEES. | CASE BEFORE THE COURT. in the Magistrate's Court Yesterday, j ;i. ■ iii Buckle, farmer, of Onkura, pro- ■ e fed against John Nicholson for an ••l.i u:d assault. Accused was charged tii.U on the. 2nd of March, 18U, at j urn, near Xew Plymouth, he did I>, :ai!lv assault ami beat William Uc. j '!r. Standish appeared for Buckle, j im-i accused, who pleaded guilty to the (marge, was not roiresented by ; <!oim m-I. ' " Mr. Standish, in outlining the case for Hi.- informant, stated that accused and j iii.-i brother were working for Buckle ■in the hitter's farm, under a milking .-cement. The trouble arose through :u. used asking Buckle for a milk ri"-i|iU! which he said was overdue. Buckle at the time was in charge of a •iim.v, when accused came along and a»--:"iiicd him by hitting and kicking him. Ai;-cil and liis brother again assaulted l' ,! : '-'e on the inst, in tile presence of i.lie latter's wife. Buckle thereupon ordered them oIT the farm and locked Hi'- gate. This course proved of no ii-e. and Buckle had to ••"timately leave the. farm, and lie dare not go back to see iuw the farm, crops and stock were getting on for fear of another assault. \Villiam Buckle, firmer, of Oakura. fare evidence that accused were working for him under a milking agreement. On the 2nd .March he went over to a neighbor's to get a load of chair, and when he came hack lie met John Nicholson, who said he wanted his cheque. He replied that it was not yet due. John Nicholson and bis brother then set upon him, and beat him, for about half an hour, knocking some of his teeth down his throat. On the 10th inst. a similar assault happened when be told accused they had no right on the farm. Accused then used bad language and f knocked him about again, lie went j n.side and shut the door upon them as j lie was frightened they 'Vould deal I some more to him." lie came to Xew Plymouth, as he was afraid that the. I would knock him about again. Florence Buckle, wife of the previous witness, said that on March 2 accused came to the house and kocked her husband about, blacking his eves. On March 10 he again came to their house, and told her that Buckle was "looking for another black eye," and that if the latter came outside lie would get it. He used bad language, and further said be would knock it out of Buckle. John Nicholson, the accused, stated I that on March 2 he asked Buckle to -ix up the cheque. Buckle replied, "All right." and drove to a neighbor's house in a horse and dray for a load of chat:. Witness said he wanted the cheque to go to town, and asked Buckle if be would give it to him when he came back. Buckle replied, "If you don't wait, you won't get a cheque at all." Buckle threw around his arm, and he thought he was going to strike him, and he therefore struck at Buckle. His brother came up and stopped them from fighting, and Bucklo lay down. Asked again for the cheque, Buckle replied, "You will get a blue paper in the morning." His brother told Buckle to get up, and that as they were both in it, he would "have a go at him." He thereupon pulled Buckle up and commenced hitting him. Buckle asked his wife to take Robert Nicholson away, and then appealed to witness. He told Mrs. Bucklo that Buckle deserved all he got, but for her sake he would take his brother away. He and his brother then came to town without the cheque, and they had not yet received it. Robert Edward Nicholson, brother of accused, gave evidence on similar lines. William Buckle also proceeded against Robert l'Mwavd Nicholson on a similar charge to that of bis brother. The evidence was similar to that of the previous case, and no fresh witnesses were called. His Worshin remarked that the accused seemed to think that thev eonld take ' the law into their own hands, but such a course was not allowed. They admitted the assault, which on their own evidence whs unjustified. They seemed to think thev were the aggrieved parties because Buckley did not choose to give them a cheque which was not at the time due. fie had never had such ill unjustifiable ease of assault be- » fore him. John Nicholson was conI victed and fined £2 and costs, I in default one month's hard labor in the New Plymouth Gaol, and was bound over to keep the peace for six months, himself in £2O and two Buretiie.s of flO each. Robert Edward Nicholson was convicted and lined £5 and costs, in default one month's imprisonment, and bound over to keep the peace for ,ix months, himself in £2O and two sureties of £lO each. Accused were allowed tw.i d&y3 in which to find the sureties, and a week in which to pay the fines.