Residents of the street said there was a suggestion methamphetamine might have been the cause of the dispute.
A police spokeswoman said it appeared a man had gone through a window at his own house.
"Police tried to investigate the events which took place at the address, but the victim would not co-operate with police," she said.
She did not comment on the suggestions there were gang and methamphetamine links to the incident.A Dunedin Hospital spokesman said the man was "progressing favourably" yesterday.
Blood-soaked patches of grass along with a discarded jersey and watch could be seen across the road from the Housing Corporation house where the assault took place about 2.30pm on Saturday.
A resident of the street said he heard the victim suggest issues over methamphetamine were one of the reasons for the assault.
"I heard arguing," the witness, who did not wish to be identified, said.
"Before anyone could realise what was going on, there was chaos everywhere."
He saw a solid, tall, middle-aged man throw the slightly built victim through a window.
"It was just an explosion of an argument that happened.
"He was in a pretty bad way. He ended up being unconscious. He was having body twitches at one stage."
The man was covered in blood, bleeding from his wrists and had bruising to his forehead and face.
"He had obviously been punched to the head loads of times," the witness said.
When a friend arrived at the scene, the victim came to and tried to get his car keys and drive away. However, he allowed his friend to take him to the hospital.
"This would be the biggest shock to the street that we have had for a while,’’ the witness said.‘‘It’s not something that happens in Clermiston Ave on a daily basis.
"It’s not something we see."
Another resident said he was cleaning his car at the time the assault took place and heard nothing, but the resulting commotion soon caught his attention.
"When I looked up he was face down," he said.
"He was straight out. Prostrated straight out. Blood all over his face."
Drug dealing was regular occurrence in the street, he said.
"It goes on all the time up here," he said.
"You don’t know whose doing it until the police arrive."
He recognised the victim but did not know his name.
He was quiet, kept to himself and had caused no issues for the street’s residents, he said.
An ambulance was called, but stood down as the man was already on the way to hospital in his own car.
