SEQUEL TO AN ASSAULT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1916, Page 3

SEQUEL TO AN ASSAULT.

BOROUGH INSPECTOR ABUSED AND HIT. SCENE IN A BOARDINGHOUSE. A sequel to an unfriendly incident which occurred at the Victoria Boardi::ghouse, in Liardet street, on Thursday, April 0, was the appearance in the Magistrate's Court yesterday of Benjamin 'Pippins, the borough inspector, who prosecuted Thomas Robinson for assault and William Henry Drinkwater for aiding and abetting Robinson. Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., presided, Sub-Inspector Foully prosecuted, and Mr. A. H. Johnstone appeared for Robinson. Both the defendants pleaded not guilty. Benjamin Tippins said he saw Robinson in the street prior to the incident at the boardinghouse, and he asked witness to go to Drinkwater's billiard saloon ''to face out something I said about his wife.'' Witness refused to go, but later in the day, when he was in his room at the boardinghouse, the two defendants eanic (here, and Robinson accused witness of saying that Robinson's wife had stolen a dress. Witness denied this charge ,and then Robinson brought his wife into the room, and the charge against witness was repeated by Robinson. Robinson then stated that witness had tried to take Drinkwater's living away from him by refusing to grant him a license for his billiard saloon. Presently Robinson "hauled off" and struck witness a blow on the face. Mrs. Robinson then interposed and prevented Robinson from striking witness again. Robinson said ''lie would do time for me." Drinkwater said, "don't give him nv.y more because I'll shoot the —— before I have done with him.'' Drinkwater said this in the room, and again when he was outside. To Mr. Johnstone: Witness never made a statement to the effect that Mrs Robinson had stolen a dress. He never said Mrs. Drinkwater had pawned the dress in Auckland. It was not because witness had maligned one of these women that caused the trouble. Robinson met witness in the street and said he wanted to have the matter of the dress cleaned up, but witness refused to go to Drinkwater's saloon. Later at the boarding-house Robinson put the same question and witness-je-llied it. Witness did not say to Robinson, "You are a liar." /

Plain-clothes Constable Fitzgibbons said Tippins came to witness about I) p.m. on the night of the occurrence and complained that a man whose name he did not know had gone to Tipping' boardinghouse and had assaulted him. | Sidney Rohb, a clerk at the Borough Council office, said Robinson came to the office one morning and said he wanted to see Tippins. Witness asked Robinson if he could do anything for him, and Robinson replied, "No, I want to punch his nose." This closed the case for the prosecution. THE DEFENCE. • Thomas Robinson was rilled br Ml'. Johnstone. Witness said his wife complained that Tippins had said she stole a dress from ulrs. Drinkwatcr. Witness later saw Tippins and Tippins denied that he said this. Witness and Drinkwater went to the boarding-house to see Tippins, and on arriving there Tippins again denied that he made the statement complained of- Mr- P.ebint<oii was brought in to verify the statement, to which Tippins replied, ''Von are a liar." Witness added: 'I did strike him, but not hard. Tipping wanted a shave very badly, and T think the bristles cut his face more than the blow." William Orinkwater eave corroborative evidence. Lama Robinson, wife of the defendant Robinson, said she complained to her husband that- Tippins had said she had stolen the dress. She was passing the ooardinghouse at the time of the incident, and she was called in by her husband. Her husband only struck Tippins once and did not attempt to strike him a second time. The Magistrate said he was satisfied there was no provocation foi the assault, and he fined Robinson £."> and Drinkwator £:), the default in each ease being a month's imprisonment