Traffic warden pelted with eggs

Press, 7 October 1988, Page 11

Traffic warden pelted with eggs

PA Auckland Traffic wardens yesterday became the target of egg throwers as the wardens patrolled the Princes Street area outside Auckland University. University students on Wednesday approved spending $5O on eggs to pelt Auckland City Council traffic wardens they say are “victimising” parked students. One young traffic warden, who did not want to be named, said an egg narrowly missed him as he was chalking tyres on cars parked outside the university. He said he did not see the egg thrower and took little notice of

the incidents. A traffic department chief inspector, Mr Mike Belsham, said the egg throwers could face severe penalties if anyone were hit. “It is a form of assault and may well become a police matter,” he said. “If a passing motocyclist got hit in the face and fell off and was injured, for example, the thrower is facing very serious criminal charges. “I doubt whether courts would be sympathetic to the offender.” Mr Belsham would not let his traffic wardens speak about the egg-

throwing because he did not want “the whole thing the escalate.” “It’s a nuisance, but what it boils down to is a small clutch of students hatching some of their sillier plots,” he said. He would hold a special briefing.for wardens and adviise them not to overreact. “This sort of thing is not new. Our officers have had water bombs and other objects thrown at them before. I don’t want the thing to get out of proportion,” he said. Mr Beltham would make a formal approach to the university if the campaign continued.