DRIVER STABBED

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20821, 3 June 1939, Page 9

DRIVER STABBED

YOUTHS IN TAXI SUDDEN ASSAULT ATTACKERS ESCAPE (Special to Times.) AUCKLAND, Saturday Assaulted and stabbed while driving , two youths along Old Lake Road, ; Narrow Neck. Auckland, a taxi-driver, I Mr William George Styants, of 14 * Dickens Street, Grey Lynn, received ; seven wounds acoss the top of his I back. Although he lost a considerable quantity of blood, his condition , was reported by the Auckland Hos- ; pital this morning as not serious. The district was searchrd for an hour or more after the incident, but the assailants escaped Mr Styants is a private owner of a taxicab, who said he was hailed early last night by two youths in Fort Street, City, and told they wished to go to Narrow Neck beach. The journey was without incident until a few yards from the Whakatere Boating Club’s hall in Old Lake Road. Blow on Head “ Suddenly,” Mr Styants said, “ I received a blow on the head. The car swerved to one side, but I managed to regain control, and was just pulling up when I felt something sharp stab me on the forehead, then behind the right ear. The next thing I knew was when I felt sharp pains across my shoulder-blades. I. pulled u»p the car, opened the door nearest the wheel and rolled out on to the road, thinking I might be able to tackle them, but one of the two youths opened the near back door, jumped out, and made for the open country.” The story was then taken up by Mr R. E. Hunt and Mr C. E. Alexander, who were working on a boat in the hall. Just before nine o’clock they ! were both startled by the sounds of j banging on one of the back windows, accompanied by cries for help. “ We rushed outside,” Mr Alexander said, “ and saw a man, his face and shoulders covered with blood, standing near the window. He was able to tell us that a couple of young fellows has assaulted him, and had escaped in the direction of the old Takapuna racecourse. He asked us to see if we could find them.” Mr Alexander and Mr Hunt jumped into their car and drove right round the block, without seeing anyone, and when they returned to the hall they saw Mr Styants 1 abandoned car. The driver himself was missing Staggered to House While they had been searching, the driver had staggered 300yds down the road to the nearest house, who took him inside and gave his wounds a temporary dressing. Dr. R. B. Grey, I of Takapuna, was called, and the ini jured man was sent to the Auckland Hospital. The wounds on his back were about half an inch long, but not deep. 1 Meanwhile residents searched the neighbourhood for the two youths who, Mr Styants says, were his assailants, but there was no trace of them. Detectives Snedden and Mahood, of Auckland, began their investigations at once. They were able to obtain from Mr Stygants a description of his pas- | sengers, and the whole circumstances of the incident. No arrest has been made.