SERIOUS COMPLAINTS AT LOWER HUTT

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 299, 14 September 1937, Page 15

SERIOUS COMPLAINTS AT LOWER HUTT

Conduct at Horticultural Hall

STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH

LICENCE URGED

Complaints of disorderly behaviour in the vicinity of the Horticultural Hall during the course of and following social events were made to the Lower Hutt Borough Council by a resident of the street in which the hall is situated, Laing’s Road, in a letter read at last night’s meeting. It was stated that during a recent evening young women were vomiting on tile footpaths, there was fighting, and afterward cars were driven away by intoxicated persons. Councillor C. J. Ashton, chairman of the works committee, said the council practically agreed some time ago to cancel the licence of the hall for public dances if there were further trouble. The time had now arrived to give serious consideration to what was in effect a promise given to the residents of Laing's Ro a yThe question of cancellation was held over pending knowledge of the way in Which further dances were conducted. Parking and pass-out check restrictions were imposed some months ago, but had been lifted for some dances. The result now was that residents abqut the hall had a lot of which to complain. The Mayor, Mr. J. W. Andrews, said that after a recent dance at the hall he had received three personal complaints, one in writing and one by telephone. The borough inspector, who lived alongside the hall, agreed that there was cause for complaint, and on that particular, occasion had telephoned the police twice to take some steps to abate the nuisance created.

One woman said that if she remonstrated with the persons concerned in such behaviour she was laughed, at and abused. The main cause of, recent complaint centred round the evening to which he referred. A few days after there was a wedding celebration at which all was in order, but when the guests or bride and groom left, apparently those with ears all tooted “hip, hip, hooray” on their horns. Since the recent dog show there had been another sheaf of complaints. There was a threat by residents’ to apply to the Supreme Court for an injunction to restrain the society from allowing events of the sort mentioned at the hall.

Before the hall was built, continued the mayor, he had advised the. society against building in a residential area and did his utmost to persuade them to go elsewhere. He even offered them, a piece of borough land, on the council’s behalf, at a silly figure, rather than have the hall where it was. However, other counsels prevailed and once the hall was built it was not long before trouble arose over gatherings in it. He had received kicks from residents of the locality regarding the conduct in the vicinity of the hall and from the society for attempting to impose restrictions. Fight on Footpath. A letter was read from a Laing’s Road resident declaring that the time had come to close the hall altogether as there had been no abatement of the rowdiness and drunken behaviour. Young gjrls vomited on the footpaths and care left with drunken drivers. Recently a man and woman fo'ught on the footpath and pulled one another in and out of the driver’s (seat of a car. Then they came to blows. After one dance three weeks ago, a lorry was used to carry away the empty bottles. The “scum of the earth” came to the hall on occasions.

The complainant alleged that because the hall was run by a few of the “hawhaws” the council was afraid to do the right thing by the residents. The mayor said he had attended gatherings at the hall of which there was no cause for serious complaint. Once he raised his voice definitely against what, was going on, not only at the gathering concerned but at a subsequent committee meeting. Residents of Myrtle Street, further up Laing’s Road, were complaining of the possibility of hall patrons parking cars in their area. They said that they did not want to he “saddled with the riff-raff.”

Captain Wybranfc Olphert, president of the Horticultural Society, then addressed the council.

Check System “Weak Spot.” The mayor said that the weak spot was that there was no efficient check on the pass-out system. To do the checking properly there would have to be a council officer at the hall.

Captain Olphert replied that the society could get over the pass-out check difficulty itself. It might cost them more but they would have to meet it. Cr. Ashton suggested that the society exercise stricter supervision regarding the letting of the hall. Cr. R. M. Russell introduced the question of liquor at the hall. "The society never allows liquor in the hall, but some gets in,” replied Captain Olphert. Cr. Russell: On two legs?

The report of the finance committee stated that complaints had again been numerous regarding the conduct of the patrons at one of the dances recently held in the Horticultural Society’s hall. It had been decided that the society be advised that the council would require strict compliance with the terms of the licence regarding the issue of pass-out checks, and that the parking, restrictions were to be rigidly enforced. • The committee’s action was endorsed. Captain Olphert said that under the circumstances the society took no exception to the committee’s decision.