UNREHEARSED PART

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 21, 26 January 1931, Page 4

UNREHEARSED PART

END OF A CARNIVAL

Described variously as a "free fight" and a "ding-dong go," a disturbance which took place at Prosser's Hall, Porirua, duriug tho crowning of the queen in the recent Queen Carnival had. its final round in the Magistrate's Court on Friday with Mr. E. Page, S.M., as referee, when six\ men, three Maoris and three Europeans, were charged. 'Their names were Albert Sydney BrenInan, "William Rodger Parsons, George lieinke, Phillip Love, Pire Paria, and Wiiieera. Love and Reinke were charged with disturbing the dance, and the others with fighting. Senior-Sergeant Edwards said that all the defendants .were present at the dance. An altercation between Love and Reinke ended in a light starting in the hall and finishing outside, where the other men participated. Mr. R. \V. Bothamlcy, who appeared for the three Maoris, Love, Wineera, and Paria, said that the dance was the final of the Queen Carnival in Porirua. The Maoris had had a queen, and so had the pakehas, several in fact. The Maoris had been beaten \>y a vole or two, and they were a little sore about it, but they had taken their beating like gentlemen. In the hall someone had made some remark about smoking, and the Maoris had resented this. Someone had then made an offensive retnark about the Maoris, and tho latter, <vhen asked to leave, had left in a body. Lovo was tho first out, and ho was ready to fight Beinke when Wineera rushed out and said to the white man, "He will eat you." "And so he would have," said counsel, "fpr Love is a born fighter." By this time Love's relatives had arrived, and they took Him away in a lorry. "Wineera /and Rcinkp then started to fight, and had what counsel described as a "ding-dong go for half an hour." The ( other men had been more concerned with preventing others from interfering than fighting themselves, for "everyone likes to sco a fight," Mr. Bothamlcy said, remarking, a little later that ho was present himself. , Mr. Macduff, appearing for the other Hhrec defendants, who arc all tunnel'<srs at Glenside, contended that Reinkc had'not started tho disturbance. Hc^ had supported a member of the com-" mittoe or someone (who had asked Love not to smoke in the hall, and Love had then struck him. TJeinke had immediately replied by inviting Love to come outside. If Reinkc had struck Love in the hall then, counsel said, lie might have l>een ; guilty of disturbing tho dance, but, ns it was, ho had asked him outside so :iS'not to create a disturbance inside.

The. Magistrate: "Well, the effect of it was to empty tho hall, wasn't it?" Counsel: "We'll, tlicy all wanted to sec the fight." , Mr. Pago considered that Love w;is the cause of the disturbance, ami lie was fined &2, the others being ordered to pay the costs, 10s each. \