WHEN WOMEN DISAGREE.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1922, Page 5

WHEN WOMEN DISAGREE.

TROUBLE IN THE BACK BLOCKS. A SEQUEL IN COURT A seauel to a breezy bout of fifties belween two residents of Tahorawomen, L last was heard before Mr- ™ M Mowlem, S.M., in the. Stratterd Magistrate's Court „Xra" Violet Bitterns daimri *2® ® damages from Bella Harrison for an “‘vtetei■pittarua aaid she went to-Harrison-s place to enquire attel her cbiid's boots. They were talking casually for a few minutes. said she was afraid to send hei boy to Mrs. Harrison because Charlie Marnner would bullv him. „ ■ „ Witness continued: “Mrs Hamsun said ‘call the boy a bully wil. yon. She then sprang at me and hit me on the eye and knocked me down, then kicking me. She held me down and called me lots of nasty things, held my hands and pulled my hair out. Site let me get. up and as I was bending down to pick up my hat she hit me with a stick. She ordered me off the place and I told her I wanted to go home to my children, but she would not let me up. I called out to Mr. Rogers and Mrs. Harrison then let me get up and followed me off the place with a stick. I then went into Mrs. Rogers’ place. I suffered from a bruise on the eye, another on the arm and I was also kicked on the le<xs and scratched with the finger nails. I °was stiff and sore for about three days and could not do any work. Mary Rogers said she was an eyewitness of the assault. She said she heard the argument getting loud and so she listened. After detailing the argument witness said Mrs. Harrison struck Mrs. Pittam«s and knocked her off the landing. She afterwards stood on her about the hips and threatened to kiek ■her, saying that she would strangle complainant whether she “swung for it or not.” Witness said Mrs. Harrison had a pair of heavy tanned shoes an. Her skirts were nearly up to her knees and she seemed to be* kicking very hard. Bella Harrison’s story differed somewhat from Mrs. Pittams’. She said Mrs. Pittams called at 8 o’clock in the morning and said “I want the child’s boots: Charlie Marriner has taken them.” Witness said Charlie was her younger brother and a ward of hers. Witness ordered Mrs. Pittams off the ground, but complainant was angry and still demanded the boots. “I told her a third time to go home,” continued witness, “and she then edged up to me. 1 edged up to her and she grabbed me by the shoulders. For self-protection I pushed her and she fell in my pig food. She called out that I was a wicked woman and that I did not know there was a God.

“I hit her a blow and she fell on the ground,” the witness went on, “and I held her with both my hands. She called out that she wanted to go home, but I still held her. I neither kicked her, stamped on her nor struck her while she was on ri’ie 'ground. I only took her by the plait of the hair; she always wears her hair in a single plait.” His Worship said it was perfectly plain that the/?p actions should not be encouraged. This was an unseemly matter. It was perfectly plain that an assault was committed and damages were payable. Judgment was given for plaintiff for £2, with costs amounting to £l3 14s Bd.