BRAWL AT NAPIER

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29745, 12 February 1962, Page 10

BRAWL AT NAPIER

Seamen And Police (N.Z. Press Association)

NAPIER, Feb. 11. Three policemen, nine members of H.M-N.Z.S. Taranaki, and 15 seamen from ships in port fought a 20-minute battle watched by about 200 spectators, outside a cafe in Shakes peare road, Napier, on Saturday evening. The trouble broke out at 6.20 p.m. when the three police officers, Sergeant G. P. Dwan and Constables J. A. Franklin and P. Wood, removed from the cafe two seamen who were alleged to be behaving in an abusive manner.

At one stage one constable was battling with four seamen.

At the same time, while endeavouring to put one seaman into the police car. Sergeant Dwan was tripped from behind and went down under an avalanche of seamen during which his shirt was ripped in half, and he was struck on the head and stomach. With the assistance of Constable Franklin, Sergeant Dwan handcuffed one teaman and the three policemen, with another handcuffed man, began to move toward the police car, only to be faced by a barrier of seamen who surged forward in a bid to release their mates.

Fists, arms and boots were flung wildly by the seamen who outnumbered the police by five to one. Sailors Arrive

A roar from the background signalled the arrival of nine sailors from the Taranaki who launched a counterattack on the seamen and scattered them. While this meelee was under way the two handcuffed men were rushed to the Napier Police Station where reinforcements were gathered and the police party returned to the scene. By then, however, the seamen had dispersed.