A PUNIHO EPISODE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1922, Page 6

A PUNIHO EPISODE.

CHARGE AGAINST TWO MEN. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. A charge of attempting to break and enter the residence of Andrew Mclndoe, the toll-gate keeper between Gkato and Puniho, was preferred against two men, John Martin and Alfred Lindsay, at the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court, yesterday. It was alleged the incident took place on the evening of Sunday, April 30 last. Mr. A. W. Mowlem, S.M., was on the bench. Detective-Sergeant Cooney conducted the case for the police, and Mr. C. H. Croker appeared for both accused. On counsel’s application both cases were taken together. Andrew Mclndoe, toll-gate keeper, Puniho, deposed that he saw two men going along the road towards Puniho on Sunday, April 30. He could not recognise the men if he saw them again. He ceased duty about seven o’clock, shut up the house and pulled down the blinds, and turned the lights off at the gate. There was only one door to the house, this facing the main road. First he locked the door, but later in the evening bolted it top and bottom. At 8.15 p.m. he heard footsteps outside; these stopped near the door. One voice said, “Are you going to give it a go? ’ and the answer was “Yes, for sure.” Both were men’s voices. Someone knocked at the door and called out, “It’s all right, old lady.” Witness called out, “Who are you, and what do you want?” The man immediately threw his full weight against the door and attempted to burst the lock. Witness reached for his revolver and proceeded to load it, calling out as he did so, “No, you don t, old cock 1 ! The door’s bolted and barred.” The voice outside said: “Open it and come out,” which -witness declined to do, saying, “No, you don’t.” Witness intimated that he had a revolver, which he would not hesitate to use. There was just the one attempt to burst open the door. Witness’s wife went for the whistle kept in the house, also a box of cartridges. Witness’s wife blew three shrill blasts on the whistle.. One of the men outside said, “It s all right, old lady ; don’t alarm the house. There’s no one about.” Witness again threatened to shoot if necessary. The men outside kept persuading witness to open the door. Witness asked again what they wanted. He heard the men talking to each other, and they then replied: “It’s all right; we just’want to buy a packet of cigarettes.” Witness said he did not stock cigarettes, but the men persisted in their request. After a while, one of them said: “Wc are only two fellows who ve walked up from below.” He asked what they meant by “up from below.” and they replied that they were working on the' crusher, which was in the opposite direction from which they came. Witness told them he would report the matter to the police in the morning, one saying, “It’s all right; good-night, old ladv—and I’ll come back and compliment you some day, old man.” They then went away. To Detective Cooney: The men were at the house about a quarter of an hour. Witness asked two or three times what they wanted, and they did not say they wanted cigarettes till after about ten minutes. Both men had come up to witness that day (yesterday), and Lindsay apologised “for bringing all tins trouble upon you.” Lindsay shook hands Wl Alice' tn E. Mclndoe, wife of the first witness, substantiated her husband s '’constable Maurice Ryan, stationed at Ranotu, said he interviewed Lindsay, who, on being asked if he knew anything about the incident, said: Yes, we were there all right.” Lindsay denied using any force trying to break into the cottage; he had only gone there to get some cigarettes.” Witness then saw John Martin, who said: “I know all about it. We were there, all right; but we didn’t use any force on the door. We went to buy cigarettes, and the tollgate keeper threatened us with a revolver. We went away. We„did not go there to commit any crime.” This concluded the case for the prosecution, and, on the usual question being put, each accused pleaded “not guilty, and was committed to the next session of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth, commencing next week. £ • 4. Charges against each accused of riotous behaviour whilst drunk at Puniho, on April 30, were withdrawn by the poThe men were released on bail, each in his own recognisance of £5O and one surety ox £lOO each, or two ot .£ov each.