OBSTRUCTING THE POLICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3162, 14 August 1917, Page 4

OBSTRUCTING THE POLICE

Tuk disgraceful disturbance in Cubit Street on Saturday evening, when tho police were seriously interfered'with in the course- of their duty, calls for tho severest reprobation. A drunken fireman was the origin of the trouble. After ejection from an hotel near by on account of his conduct b-> was taken into custody by a, constable. Efforts at rescue by his mates led to the gathering of a large crowd unci a most disorderly scene. A nunibor of men obstructed tho police, who hail been reinforced by officers on duty in the neighbourhood, and a, ' violent struggle ensued. At least one constablo was rather badly knocked and others were- hustled and jostled and struck by the crowd, and eventually mounted police had to bo called out to clear the street. It is to tho credit of sorao of tho onlookers that they endoavoui|ed to assist the police, but the affair was fur too serious to be passed over lightly. Tho police must be- supported .and protected against these sort of experiences, which have become too frequent in recent times. Some of tho men avlio are alleged to' .have participated in the attacks on the police were arrested in company with the fireman, tho original cause of the trouble, and were prosecuted at tho Police Court yesterday morning. Me. M'Cakthy, S.M., who was on tho Bench, imposed an adequate penalty on tho fireman, but he might with justice have . dealt more severely with the other offender convicted of obstruct* ing tho police. A fine of £5, with an alternative of a month's imprisonment, might meet tho case under normal circumstances, but it is time that this sort of rowdyism and lawlessness was put down with a severe hand, and those who indulge in it mado to realise that it is a, costly and unprofitable business. Unless this is done tho authority of the police will be weakened and the moral weight attached to their office, which enables a comparatively small force to maintain law and ordor, will be undermined. Should any further cases of the kind occur in tho near future, it may be hoped that tho Bench in tho case of conviction will impose tho highest possible penalty which the Police Offences Act provides.