DISTURBANCE IN STREET

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 14828, 16 November 1948, Page 2

DISTURBANCE IN STREET

BEHAVIOUR OF MAORI

''Action Of Hoodlum," Says Police Sergeant

Accused May Profit From

Lesson

The behaviour of a young married Maori in Tauranga on Saturday afternoon, was recounted in the Police Court yesterday when Morris Johnson Allen, of Judea, appeared nnd pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour on the Strand, while drunk, and of committing mischief by wilfully damaging a cell utensii, valued at £1 10s, the property of the New Zealand Government.

Mr W. C. Savill J.P., and Mr F. H. Goodey J.P., convicted and fined recused £2, and he was ordered to pay the cost of the damage. Mr Savill said the Court wanted accused to remember that it was giving him a helping hand. To the bench, Allen said his child was a boy, aged two years. Accused, who was visibly perturbed, agreed that it would not be too good if his child followed in his footsteps. Mr Goodey commented that Allen should try and improve his conduct fcr the child's sake.

Senior Sergeant J. R. Corston said accused was arrested at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday. His condition was noticed while the Police were in the course of visiting the hotels, nnd he was asked to behave himself. The Police moved farther down the street, and immediately they left, accused behaved in a manner which was only fitting of a hoodlum—he began yelling in the street. In the cell, Allen caused considerable bother by yelling, and caused the damage referred to in the charge. He had been detained since Saturday evening, and it might be considered that a fine would meet the case, added the Senior Sergeant. He had been before the Court on quite a few occasions.

Accused had said, continued the Senior Sergeant, that if he found he could not control himself he would again take out a prohibition orderIf that respect, he was trying to help himself, said the Senior Sergeant, who thought the present charges would be a lesson to him.