STREET DISTURBANCE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 92, 11 January 1908, Page 6

STREET DISTURBANCE AT CHRISTCHURCH.

SAD FEELING AGAINST THE EOLICE.

A WARNING FROM THE BENCH

(by TELEQnArn— press association.) • r

Chrlstchurch, January 10.

The sequel to last night's disturbances,' which originated through three Jack Tars, from H.M.S. Pyramus driving ..round tho city -'at a rate that: endarigered :: th'o .lives-'of'. pedestrians, wa3 heard in tho I'olico Court this'morning, when John'Allen, a' man-of-warsman,' was charged - with being drunk vhilo in chargo of'a 'horse 'and trap.; Accused pleaded guilty. In connection,with tho ■samo' incident. Miles Bradbury, another man-,of-warsman, was charged with obstructing: Sergeant Burrows while in the execution of his .duty. . .

Sub-Inspector. Dwyer stated , that , there' iWere a largo number "of navals ashore'last evening, and, on- the t whole, their conduct had been good. ', One or two. of them- only had misbehaved themselves.

The Chairman-remarked that the,, men had placed themselves in a very awkward position. The police had taken a very lenient view of the case. Great forbearance had always been exercised, and always would be, towards-the men who'were serving tho KingJ but tho offenders -niust bear. ill mind that their-conduct was liableto bring about results which they , could hardly contemplate. :were always received hospitably by the community, but that hospitality must-'not be abused. A conviction against both v mcn would be entered, and tho. question of punishment' wquld be left to the responsible officer on the warship. Leonard Thomas, a youth sixteen years of ago, was then charged with inciting Allen to •resist Constablo M'Cormack in the execution of his, duty.

Sub-Inspector Dwyer remarked that Thomas's conduct last night had. been disgraceful. Tho feeling displayed towards tho police of lato was very bad, afld he was afraid this hostility was growing. Ho believed some of these young fellows would stand complacently by and see a policeman kicked • to death. Of course, ho would take into con-: sideration the\ youth of tho accused, and ■would not; in the present instance, press for a heavy penalty. Something must be dono as a warning to young men not to resist tho police. Tho Chairman pointed out tho oxtremo, gravity of such a charge as that against Thomas, ' who, lie said, rendered himself liablo to a penalty of £20, or threo months' imprisonment. Tho polico in carrying out their duty exercised great forbearance, and ili;b was sorry to hear from a man of SubInspector Dwyer's experience that tho bad feeiing towards them was growing. This was a menace to the peaco of tho city. .If any charge of a similar nature ever came before him again ho would inflict the heaviest penalty which the circumstances adduced might oall for. Accused would bo convicted, and ordered to coino up for sentence wheii called upon, and ho hoped this would be a warning to those whose behaviour last night was such that they should bs in tho prisoner's box with him.