MAGISTRATE'S COURT WEEKLY SITTING.

weekly sitting of the Hawera Magistrate's Court was held to-day, when Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., presided.

ALLEGED COMMON ASSAULT. Frederick D. Edgecombe was charged by the police with common assault on a Chinese named Ah So, a previous information being withdrawn by leave of the court. Sergeant Henry prosecuted, and Mr Ryan appeared for accused. Sergeant Henry said that on the 16th of the present- month Ah So called at Mrs Ling's gardens on the Beach road to get vegetables for another Chinese named Wee On. Ah So drove into the yard, and Mrs Ling accused him of taking customers away from her, which argument she follow-ed up with punishment from a whip. Edgeeombe then came rushing out, and in the struggle which followed hestruck the Chinese over the head several times with a knife. (A knife with a blade about 10 inches long was produced in court.) Accused when interviewed by the police denied having used the knife. Mr Ryan, said that accused assured him that he did not use the knife and that the knife was held by the Chinese. Accused was only 20.years of age. Accused was put in'the witness box. where he stated that he was in bed when he heard words between his employer, Mrs' Ling, and the Chinese. He went to a window, and saw the Chinese with a knife to Mrs Ling's stomach, whereupon he rushed out to give assistance. While they were rolling on the ground the knife was knocked out of the hands of the Chinese, and was picked up by Mrs Ling. Accused did not use the knife, but only itruck vvith his fists. After the struggle the Chinese gave Mrs Ling 7s for the return of the knife, but Mrs Ling threw, the money out into the yard. The" Chinese then offered £1 f 9 r the knife, but he was told that the knife would be handed to the police. He then retired, leavhalf a crown of the 7s lying in theyard. (This half-crown was also produced in court.) Sergeant Henry: The Chinese says that accused had a revolver in one hand. His Worship: Then the Chinese says that accused had a revolver in one hand and a knife in the other! At this stage his Worship deferred the case until next Thursday in order to give the police opportunity to. procure further evidence as to the ownership of the knife and the truth of accused's statement that he had no revolver and there was not even one kept m the house. Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 September 1924, Page 9