TROUBLE ON A FERRY BOAT. ALLEGED ASSAULT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1908, Page 8

TROUBLE ON A FERRY BOAT. ALLEGED ASSAULT.

Xot many months ago tho residents across the harbour at Rona Bay and its neighbouring suburbs mado a loud outcry at the behaviour of certain youths and older persons, who should have known better, on tlie last boatV'on Saturday night. Free fights and brawls were alleged to take place almost every week-end, and the peace of the vicinity •was rudely shattered. Tho police took steps,, and finally ran ono batch 'of offenders into court, wheic they were punished. The boys weie peaceful once again, and complaints ceased. On Saturday night, however, on the ferry steamer Countess there was a lcirudchcence of trouble. An eye-witness tells the story on these lines, which seem to be substantially correct, though thcie are some discrepancies in all accounts of what took place. As tho Countess was about to leave the Ferry Wharf the captain, referiing to a certain passenger, apparently obstreperous, called, to the policeman stationed on the wlWf that the man was annoying him. He wanted to give the man his ticket and put him ashore. The man in question, it is stated, persisted in tho argument The captain gave him his ticket back, and told him' ho could not go across the bay. The passenger, however, remained on board. About a mile from the wharf, when the annoyance is stated to have peisisted, the captain blow the whistle and put the head of the steamer back towaids Wellington. Some of the ciowd then piotcsted and uigod the captain to resume tlie voyage, which, after getting close to Wellington again, he did. tine of the passengcis tried to romon'stratc with tho cause of all the trouble. 'Hie latter, it i* alleged, struck him a blow between the eye.-. Other passengers intervened and wcie, i( is stated, similarly rewardpd.

A Press Association message at 9.53 to-day stated that Mr. Ncsbitt, Town Clerk of Sydney, is a passenger by the Maheno on a holiday trip to Xcw Zealand. To-morrow, at 2.30 p.m., at their room.'-, Mch«r3. J. 11. Bcthune and Go. will sell t\\cn(*.-n*, e building sites, KclImruo and Knight's- Fnrtn, being the balance- of an estate. The auctioneers state th«i f views of tho harbour, city, nnd Kai or; Rccrvoir arc obtained froiii tins sections ••'. liich aro served by three tram cci vices Eriey terms of sale hd.\o been