POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 145, 20 June 1923, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M.) RUMPUS IN "THE GODS." Patrons of the Opera House last night were disturbed during the course of a plantation melody by the sounds of a rumpus up in "the gods.' . The mysterious sounds were explained in court to-day when Roy Tange (25) was charged with assaulting Edward Frederick Bowden. The last named is the keeper of the door, up aloft, and during the rapt silence that pervaded the auditorium during the singing of a negro trio he saw accused begin to stamp, and a second later burst out clapping. A request to moderate his enthusiasm started the trouble. Tange lay on his back and lashed out at the doorkeeper, kicking him on the leg, and removing some "bark." Constable Leslie was in , the audience and he promptly went to the rescue. Tange being bundled out of the theatre in double quick time, to be given into the charge of a uniformed constable outside. The magistrate thought this extra turn was worth £2 10/. or free admittance to the old grey building for seven days. THE LADY'S HANDBAG. When driving a lady from Knox Home, Panmure. to Ellerslie, the other day, Leslie Clifton Arthur Payne (22) noticed that she lost her handbag. It fell out of the trap, and Payne drove on. After a little, the loss of the bag was discovered and a return was made to the home, where a diligent search, was instituted. Meanwhile, Payne went back, picked up the bag and secreted it. That night he opened the bag, to a purse containing £6. Abstracting the money, he hid the hag and purse in a hedge, and £3 of the money went to pay a tradesman's account. The balance he spent in Auckland. Mr. J. J. Sullivan made an appeal for leniency. Accused had previously offended, and had been granted probation. " I submit that his record is one determined attempt to go straight," said Mr. Sullivan. That was not the view of Chief Detective Mcllveney, who when he handed up accused"s list, remarked that he had repeatedly been shown leniency in the past, only to offend again. Mr. Poynton. S.M., observed that ho had no sym- ; pathy for those who stole during their j period of probation. He was not going to make a farce of probation. Payne j would serve six months, with hard labour. AN EXPENSIVE OUTBURST. For using obscene language in Customs Street yesterday, and being the cause of a large rip in the arresting constable's trousers, William John Anderson (24) was fined £r>, in default seven days, and ordered to pay 15/ damage, in default three days. I ALLEGED HORSE THIEF. j Ernest George Dryden (10) was re- | maudcd till June '2S on a charge of I having' stolon ;i iiorse, saddle, nnd ! bridle, valued at £30. Accused was also charged with the theft of a briefbag and contents, valued at £4.