BEER AND TOMATOES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 88, 14 April 1927, Page 17

BEER AND TOMATOES.

A "CONVIVIAL" PARTY.

DRUNKEN ROW AT TAITAPU

OFFENDERS IX COURT

(By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.",

CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday

After being refused a drink by the licensee of an hotel at Taitapu in the early morning of March 2."), four men vented their annoyance by smashing the outside light of the hotel and the window of the barroom. Then they went to the house of one of their number, where they enjoyed a supper of beer and raw tomatoes.

Constable Smither, of Lincoln, disturbed the peace of the convivial party with disconcerting results to the men concerned.

Yesterday before Mr. H. P. Lawry, SM., Ernest Andrew Birch, Thomas Campbell Mayne, Alexander Hamilton, and Samuel Sheehan were each charged with wilfully damaging a window and an electric bulb and shield, the property of John McKenzie; with behaving in a threatening manner in a public road at Taitapu; and with being guilty of disorderly behaviour while drunk in a public road at Taitapu. In addition. Hamilton was charged that, while in a state of intoxication, lie was in charge of a motor car in Green Park Road. Hamilton and Sheehan did not appear. Birch and Mayne came to the court. Birch pleaded guilty, and Mayne not guilty to the charges

One witness said tlio men threatened to pull tlie place to pieces. For being drunk while in charge of a car Hamilton was lined £10 and costs 10/. and his license was cancelled for three months. On a charge of disorderly behaviour iShechan was fined £2 and costs. Birch and Hamilton were each fined 20/ and costs, and Mayne was lined 10/ and costs. For wilful damage each man was lined 20/ and costs, and ordered to pay 7/»> to make <:ood the damage, totalling 30/. Each of the accused was convicted of behaving in a threatening manner, Slieehan, Birch, and Hamilton being lined 20/ and costs, and Mayne 10/ and co^ts-