ROWDY MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 138, 8 December 1931, Page 12

ROWDY MEETING

MAN, FACED. WITH CHARGE

A FINE AT ONEHUNGA

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, 7th December

An Onehunga man, who let his feelings run away with him at ,a pre-elec-tion political meeting, where thcra was considerable disturbance, appeared, in the Police Court charged with using insulting language and disturbing a public meeting. His name was suppressed, and lie was fined £1 and costs on tho first charge and ordered to pay costs on the second.

"Tho accused is a well-known resident of Onehunga and used the language at a recent political meeting," said Sergeant Brown. "Apparently ho allowed himself to be carried away by the meeting."

"He merely allowed himself to be carried away by his feelings," saiil counsel. "There was a certain amount of provocation at the time, and if publicity in given to this case and his name is published his position will be seriously affected in these difficult times, so that I ask that his name be suppressed. ''

Sergeant Brown explained that several people had shouted at the candidate, but defendant was unlucky in that he happened to be close to two constables. The behaviour of the people of Onehunga had been better than that of people in most other places. Tie thought the accused, had been punished a good deal already. At the same time people had to be made to realise that they should not cause a disturbance at a public meeting.

After learning that the police thought it would be reasonable to suppress the man's name in view of tho peculiar circumstances of the case, the Magistrate, Mr. Levien, made an order accordingly.