RESISTANCE TO ARREST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 73, 28 March 1933, Page 3

RESISTANCE TO ARREST.

CONSTABLE USES BATON. DISTURBANCE AT MERCER. "Offences of the nature with which the accused are charged are on the increase, especially in country districts, and the police have to rely on the Courte to assist them in stamping out such conduct, said Sergeant J. T. Cowan at the Pukekohe Police Court yesterday, when Rhys Ernest McKenzie, 31, a relief worker at Glenmurray, was charged with using obscene language and with resisting arrest. Archibald Roy Leslie, 23, was charged with obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty, with assaulting a police officer and with using obscene language. Constable H. J. Olsen stated that he heard McKenzie using obscene language outside the Mercer hall on Saturday evening. He arrested McKenzie and Leslie caught hold of witness and commenced pulling him away from McKenzie. Leslie threatened to fight witness, and he was obstructed to such an extent that he was obliged to release his grip on McKenzie in order to shake Leslie off. McKenzie ran away. Subsequently McKenzie reappeared in front of the hall and when he (the constable) went to arrest him again he was once more attacked by Leslie. "I was obliged to use my baton on Leslie in .iclf-defence," proceeded the constable. McKenzie was released and with the assistance of two civilians Leslie was lodged in the lock-up. McKenzie in the meantime had disappeared, but he was arrested in bed at the hotel at 0.30 on Sunday morning. Each accused was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment on the charge of using- obscene language, and convicted and discharged on the other counts. The Bench intimated that on this occasion it would take a lenient view of the offences, but in the event of similar charges in the future the term of imprisonment would be increased.