Eight arrested after brawl

Press, 16 August 1976, Page 4

Eight arrested after brawl

PA New Plymouth Eight youths were arrested, and one was admitted to Hawera Hospital, after brawling at Opunake early yesterday morning. Fighting began outside the Buffalo dance hall shortly after midnight, and, after a half-hour lull, broke out again at a house in the town. Nobody was injured in the first brawl, and the participants had dispersed before the police arrived. Many of them were also in the second brawl, in which about a dozen men were fighting.

The New Plymouth armed offenders squad was called when a rifle was seen. However, the brawl was over before the squad arrived at

Opunake. The police took possession of a rifle, and arrested eight youths. They will appear in the Hawera Magistrate’s Court today, charged with unlawful assembly.

The youth taken to hospital is suffering from cuts. In Martinborough, eight people were arrested on charges of using obscene language and fighting after a disturbance about 11 p.m. on Saturday. Constable Barry McPhee, of Martinborough, said police from Masterton and Wellington were called to a disturbance at the Oddfellows hall, where a private function was being held, those arrested were released on bail to appear in the Masterton Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.