OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13330, 6 May 1941, Page 4

OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR

PREVALENT SINCE THE BLACK-OUT OBSERVATION OP POLICE SERGEANT Offensive behaviour in right of ways, doorways and similar places in Tauranga has become somewhat prevalent since the restricted lighting cam© into force, according to a statement made by Sergeant D. Austin at a sitting of the Police Court yesterday. Mr J. Law, J.P., and Mr H. E. C. Carter, J.P., were on the Bench. Sergeant Austin made the observation during the hearing of charges against Thomas Farrell, a farmer, aged 48, and Tekawhenua Reihana, a farm labourer aged 40, both of whom pleaded guilty to charges of drunkenness and behaving in an offensive manner in public places. Both accused, according to the sergeant were arrested on Saturday afternoon. Farrell was a married man with a family of 11. He came into town on Saturday and borrowed £2, and was very drunk when arrested. He was bailed out in the sum of £2. Reihana, the sergeant stated, was a single man, engaged as a farm labourer earning £ 3 a week. He came into town every week-end and spent practically the whole of the £3. He had been in the lock-up since Saturday. Both accused were fined 10s on each charge, the Bench warning them that if they came before the Court again a more serious view would be taken of their offences.

A statutory first offender for drunkenness was fined £l.