STREET FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 167, 10 April 1943, Page 4

STREET FIGHTING

Offenders To Be Firmly Dealt With WARNING BY POLICE Civilians who incited men In the armed forces to fight in the street would be very firmly dealt witli by the police, irrespective of sex or age, said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. D. J. Cuinmings, yesterday, in a statement in which he also rebuked rumour-mongers and referred to a disturbnnee which occurred tn M ellnigton streets a few nights ago. "There was certainly a bit of a skirmish.” said the Commissioner. He added that, it started in a lane and was quiekij handled by the police, and by provosts from the various lighting sort ices, lhe crowd was dispersed, but a small crowd gathered agnin in Cuba Street and in turn was dispersed. Eater in the' evening another little group started an argument and was dispersed. "There was not a single person injured, much less taken to hospital, or killed, as rumour has it,” said the Coinniissionei. "The only result of the disturbance was that one'New Zealand civilian was arrested and dealt with by the Court and one New Zealand serviceman was arrested and dealt with by his own officers. No United States' servicemen were arrested or charged.” The Commissioner said ho could not understand how such rumours as he had heard of had begun. Some appeared to have grown as they went round. Tlie spreading of such rumours should be discouraged at any time, but particularly during war. Loose talk of that kind only impaired the fine reputation of the fighting forces and of the city of M’ellinglon. “[ do not expect that |!|Pl ' (! 'Y'U p e any repetition of the affair, ’ said the Commissioner, "but if there should be we are going to deal very firmly indeed with civilians, no matter what their sex or age, who cause trouble between members of tlie armed forces. Similarly firm action would be taken by the services against any of their own nien concerned. "On the whole, the conduct of both the New Zealand and the United States servicemen is excellent, and they cause very little trouble to the police.” Referring to the subject of nuisances committed in doorways in the city, the Commissioner said he thought that the prevalence of it was somewhat exagger-;. atoll. There was no doubt a certain amount of it, and the police were doing their best to prevent it. but it was a difficult matter, as people did not commit that offence in sight of a policeman. He would say that servicemen were not the principal offenders—not by a long way.