INTERNATIONAL "BATTLE."

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 195, 19 August 1927, Page 10

INTERNATIONAL "BATTLE."

XH BWAITSON STREET. STRUGGLE IN A TAXI.

Quite an international encounter in which three men took part about six o'clock last evening in Swanson Street drew a large crowd of inquisitive people. Joseph Nowark (18) represented Poland, while Holland (a country which invariably remains neutral) had Adrian Yohari Vilhelm Hermanns (23) to do battle for her. Whenever there is a scrap on New Zealand is usually to be found taking a hand. In Ewen Mclnness (33), a hefty man, the Dominion was well represented. Observing a large crowd in Swanson Street, a constable hurried to the scene and found the three men all fighting with each other. They were covered in blood and admitted that they had been engaged in a fistic discussion. Hermanns and Nowark were seamen belonging to the Dutch steamer Walcheren which was in port. They were both drunk, and alleged that Mclnness had attempted to rob them. Mclnness wa3 sober. When the trio came before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at th© Police Court this morning they were each charged with fighting, the two seafaring men being also charged with drunkenness. All three were further charged with committing mischief by wilfully dama<nn« a glass taxi door to the extent of°£3

Mclnness admitted that he had been fighting, but denied that he had anything to do with the shattered glass door. The other two men also denied breaking the door. The arresting constable said that all three were struggling as they were being placed in the taxi which consigned them to the lock-up. He could not tell who it was that broke the glass. Neither could the magistrate, so he ordered each of the three men to contribute to the damage done. Each was fined £1, or three days' imprisonment for fighting, while Hermanns and Nowark were each fined 5/ or 24 hours for drunkenness.