AN ASSAULT CASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10136, 14 January 1911, Page 7

AN ASSAULT CASE.

AT A MAORI PAH. ACCUSED FINED TEX SHILLINGS. Thomas Carroll was charged, in the Magistrate's Court at Masterton yesterday, before Mr L. G. Reid, S.M., with having unlawfully assaulted Pikihuia Manihera at Te Ore Ore on January 12th. Mr 0. Pragnell appeared for the informant, and Mr C. A. Pownall for the defendant. Pikihuia Manihera gave evidence of having gone to Carroll's house on Thursday morning, when she saw him and his wife. Witness and accused had an argument, which resulted in the former being ordered out of the house. She refused to go, and accused struck her twice on the side. Witness then loft the house, and threw some pebbles at Carroll. Carroll ran after her and caught her hair, which was hanging down, pulling her to the ground, and then struck her in the right eye, inflicting a nasty wound. By Mr Pownell: Witness rerused to leave the house until she was hit, and then went out on her own accotmt followed' by the accused. The pebbles were only small: ones. Witness was aware that accused had been treated for heart disease. .... By Mr Pragnell opened the argument which started the quarrel. Mani Maniher,a., mother of Pikihuia Manihera, gave evidence as to having seen accused strike informant in the eye, when he had hold of her hair. Accused dragged her into a sitting position. -Witness went to the scene of the quarrel, when accused stopped hitting informant. Accused said that when he was in good health he could fight anybody in the pah. Informant and accused were on good terms up to the time of the assault. / Royl Henry, of Te Ore Ore, gave corroborative evidence concerning the assault, and stated that the informant's wound was attended by Mrs Carroll, wife of the accused. Mr Pownall stated that defendant extremely regretted that lie inflicted the injuries. He admitted having ordered the woman out of the house, and thought the natter r r ,(!ed there. Later, a shower of stones caused him to go out, and a struggle ensued in which informant evidently, got a hit on the eye. Thomas Carroll, jockey, said he had been under the, treatment of Drs. Cowie and Prior for a serioxis heart trouble. After the struggle he had to use cold water to bring himself back ■to his senses. Accused jumped up and was going to put the informant out, %vti " : w'isltold': by his wife- to ..leave her alone. The stones thrown were very large, and narrowly missed accused's infant son. Any injuries received by the informant were not intentional on his part. Witneas denied holding informant by the hair. Constable Anderson said he went to Te Ore Ore and saw the marks of the stones on Ijhe door and a torn singlet belonging to the accused. Witness also saw a round stone a yard and a half from the door. Raku Carroll, wife of the defend- . ant, corroborated the evidence of her husband, and added that informant said that it was her own fault. His Worship said he was satisfkd'an assault had been committed, but informant had brought the trouble on .herself. At the same time he c:>ai3, ' not overlook the fact that the inj'iij? to the eye was caused by a blow. A fine of 10s would be Imposed, with witnesses' expenses Bs, and solicitor's fee, £1 Is.