FATHER PLANS TO COMBAT VIOLENCE

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32235, 2 March 1970, Page 1

FATHER PLANS TO COMBAT VIOLENCE

f.Vetr Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. March 1. The father of a youth who was assaulted with a bottle. . studded belts and boots in Balmoral on Friday night plans to approach city authorities in an effort to combat crimes of violence I in Auckland.

Christopher Vesey, aged 17, of Eldon Road, Balmoral, had to have stitches put in wounds to his mouth and head after being attacked by a gang of youths in Brixton Road, only about 40 yards from his home. He was walking home after taking his brothers, Neil, aged 15, and Mark, aged 12, to the pictures. As the gang began to surround him he shouted to his brothers to | run home. I Neil and Mark told their mother what was happening 'and she ran out with her daughter, Lynn, aged 18, and saw Christopher being kicked and beaten on the ground. As they shouted at the gang other people began to come from houses and the youths ran off. Christopher’s father, Mr P. Vesey, said today this was the ■ second time his son had been beaten up. Last May he had (been assaulted by a gang at

a dance in Wellsford. where the family used to live. • Mr Vesey, who arrived home from a meeting on Friday night to learn of the as(sault on Christopher, had | another brush with violence • when he went to Auckland Hospital where his son had been taken for treatment. He walked into the casualty department and into an incident in which two men were (attacked by three men and ia woman! Police say the men and the • woman entered the departIment just before 1 a.m. on (Saturday. One man was carrying an open bottle of beer. When they were asked by the charge sister to take the beer outside they refused. Mr N. Boag, aged 25, of Whangarei. was struck under the eye with the beer bottle when he went over to the group to ask them to obey the sister. KNIFE PRODUCED The police say a knife was produced when Mr A. Semb, of Three Kings, a friend of Mr Boag, went to help him. In the ensuing struggle Mr Semb suffered cuts to his nose and lip. Hospital porters and Mr Vesey then intervened and the men and woman ran off when the police were telephoned. They are now being' sought by the police. About 25 police officers, (were sent to a house in Main: (Highway, Ellerslie, about midinight on Saturday when a; (crowd of about 80 youths and (girls were said to be holding: (a party without the owner's! I permission. ( Shortly before, three fire; (engines answered a call to; the house and used buckets; of water to put out a large; I fire in an incinerator. ( The police say the s-on of! (the owner of the house at

first said all those on the premises were his guests. But the owner, who was away from Auckland and was telephoned, asked that all the youths be removed from the house.

Some scuffles broke out as police were moving the crowd, and five youths were arrested. They will appear in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.