ROWDINESS IN SHIP

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31306, 28 February 1967, Page 3

ROWDINESS IN SHIP

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Feb. 27. Teen-agers ran riot aboard an Auckland ferry early yesterday and a police launch had to escort the vessel back to the city wharf. Several arrests were made after a series of incidents, during a six-hour “big beat” cruise in the harbour.

An 18-year-old youth who fell overboard during the trip was later rescued by another ferry. The ferry’s half-ton anchor was tossed overboard, stranding the vessel in midstream for more than two hours, and there were several brawls on board. After the ferry docked at 1.45 a.m., Captain L. Bush said: “I’ve been 36 years at sea, but I’ve never seen anything like tonight. No more cruises for me.” The trouble started soon after the ferry left at 7.30 p.m. as groups pounded out beat music. ’Teen-agers carrying bottles of beer and wine roamed the boat causing brawls. Damage Done A window on the main deck was smashed and the men’s toilets badly damaged. Revellers tossed over a trail of empty beer bottles and cans. “It must have taken at least six persons to heave the anchor over the side—six senseless hooligans,” said the ship’s engineer (Mr R. McLean). One passenger decided on a midnight swim. As other youngsters looked on and laughed he stripped to his shorts and plunged into the water—to be swept away by the six-knot ebb tide current. A newspaper photographei dived in after him in a rescue bid. “I managed to catch him about half a mile from

the boat, but it was hopeless trying to swim against the current,” said the rescuer. Police Launch The two were pulled out of the water by the ferry Toheroa, which was hastily summoned from Devonport. The police launch was also recalled to the scene and swept the area until the two were recovered. The cruise was organised by a man who runs a club—but he said later that he would not run another. Mr L. S. Dromgoole, the manager of the North Shore Ferry Company, Ltd., the owners of the ferry, said today that he was disgusted at the loutish behaviour of the hooligans. Damage to the vessel, including the loss of the anchor, amounted to about £lOO. Besides the smashed window and the loss of the anchor, an air vent was missing and mooring lines and a lifebuoy had disappeared. It was 3 a.m. yesterday before the crew had cleaned up. Four In Court Two men and two women who had been passengers on the ferry were arrested in Quay street after the vessel berthed. They appeared in the Magistrate’s Court this afternoon on charges arising out of a disturbance outside the Auckland ferry buildings at 1.15 a.m. yesterday. The two women, Evelyn Grace Rush, aged 20, a presser, and Aroha Berryl Miriam Nathan, aged 17, a machinist, pleaded guilty before Mr E. F. Rothwell, S.M., to charges of fighting in a public place. The fight arose out of an argument between them.

Rush was fined £3 10s and Nathan £2 10s. The two men, Basil Sylvan, aged 18, an assistant driver, and James Francis Scrimgeour, aged 18, a factory hand, pleaded guilty to behaving in a disorderly manner. Fining him £lO and costs, the Magistrate said to Sylvan: “These disturbing incidents are allowed to grow out of proportion because goats like you will keep them going instead of doing something to stop them, and then things get out of hand more often than not.” Sergeant B. P. Donnelly said Scrimgeour had shouted at the police and tried to talk to the other accused in the police car. He would not get out of the way of the car. He was fined £l2 10s.