OBSTRUCTING POLICE

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 21 February 1927, Page 3

OBSTRUCTING POLICE

> HELPED BY HOSTILE CROWD. BROTHERS BEFORE THE COURT. WARNING BY MAGISTRATE. (Ej- Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.! WELLINGTON', this day. ""A hostile crowd gathered, and no or» would give the police any assistance." said Harvey when Harold William Rowe (24) and Lance Arthur Rowe (22), brothers, appeared before Mr. Salmon. S.M.. and admitted that they had assaulted and resisted constables la the execution of their duty. Tbe elder brother also admitted obstructing a constable and wilfully damaging his clothing . to the extent of £1 1/. while the younger i pleaded guilty to an additional charge of disorderly while drunk. The sub-inspector said the accused were very drunk in Cambridge Terrace just ; before G o'clock on Saturday evening. 4 They were noticed by two con-tables ia ' plain clothe-, who twice warned them \ to go home quietly. They refused, and ' one of the policemen attempted to arrest ' Lan<.-e Rowe. who kicked him and siruz- j sled to tri-t away. ]n the meantime a crowd gathered and hindered the police. - One woman would probably appear before the Court as the result of her inter- • fern i-e. < »ne of the con-tables was =o ba' v knocked about that be had to \>e tr-at.*d at hospital. Counsel for accused. Mr. Leicester, said his clients, who had never been ia trouble before, had only recently come ' to Wellington. They were not addicted to drink, but on Saturday had more than • was good for them, with tbe result that ' they jrot into trouble. Had the <nti- ' -table- not lx-en plain clot lies men. and * had tbe voting men realised what they * were doing, they uould not have refined as they had. '"I view these case- of obstruction a* serion-."" -aid Mr. Salmon. '"If it had . not i>een for lite ages of the accused, and the fact "hat the constables were in plain clothe-, and the previous (lean record of the-e men. 1 should not h.i\e hesitated in imposing a term of imprisorrftien:. Each i- lined £.">. in default a month for assault. <>n the other ■•barges tliey are convicted and diseharged. "I trust." said tbe ma?i-l ratf. "'that anyone in tlit- crowd that obstructed th« police will be brought before this Court. 1 cannot nnder-tand the wronc-beaded atliiiicb- of our public in these mattters."