"MILITANT-PACIFIST"

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 26, 30 July 1937, Page 11

"MILITANT-PACIFIST"

COMPLAINANT FINED

SCUFFLE AT KAIWARRA

. A scuffle which occurred at a dance ' in the Kaiwarra School on June 12 re- ' suited in the appearance before Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the. Magistrate's Court today of four young men, John Kenneth Sneddon Ferguson, John Ralph Cairncross, Aubrey Douglas Standen, and John McCann were each charged with behaving in a disorderly manner, and McCann was charged with striking Ferguson. - All pleaded riot guilty to the first charge, and McCann pleaded guilty in self defence to the second. Thomas Wood, captain of the Kai.warra Rugby Football Club, said that he was present at a dance.held by the club in the Kaiwarra School on June 12. At 11.15 p.m. he was in the vestibule and saw all the .defendants. Several young men were indulging in a friendly argument.' Ferguson came along and said he would put them out. He had no right to say that, as he had no connection with- the club. Ferguson then tried to force McCann and Standen apart. There was a scuffle, and Fergusbn received a cut over the eye. ''■■■'■'.'■■,' Sub-Inspector C. E. Roach, who conducted the prosecution, then called Ferguson to give evidence against the others. '-"■■:-. The Magistrate: I have never heard of a defendant being called from the defendants' stand by the police to go into the witness box. I wonder how you can justify it? • .• .-.'■■■ Sub-Inspector Roach explained- the circumstances of the inquiry. • The complaint was laid- by Ferguson, who accused one of the others of assault. "When approached," he went on, "the members of the club stuck together——" The Magistrate: I don't wish to know the circumstances. I want to know how you- can justify the matter. The witness was asked to stand down. ■ A constable stated in evidence that on June 14 Ferguson/called at the station and said: he had been assaulted. He stated that tie. asked the others to stop fighting and be friends. . Four others came in from outside, where they had apparently been drinking. They said "Do you want to fight?" and rushed at him. He. was struck in the eye, though he did not attempt to strike anyone. ■ POLICE STATEMENTS. Constable A. L. Downs read statements from.the other three. McCann said that he had -been drinking.; He was fooling with Standen-when a man whom he did-not know, asked them-, to leave. He admitted striking Ferguson., Standen admitted taking- part in the scuffle, and Cairncross admitted being present. " In evidence, Ferguson said that he had just come into the vestibule after having a drink of water when he saw two nien in grips.. -He went up to them'and said,-"Be friends.. You can't do this here." One1 tried to befunny.' Before witness could do anything, he was mobbed by another four from outside, and struck in the eye. He' was rushed again, and someone put a finger in his eye. One of the committee separated them. -Afterwards,--McCann-followed him into the teachers' room and insisted on bathing his eye. Witness at first refused to let him. McCann said, "We are all a'little merry. This should hot have happened." ' . "Instead of bathing my eye, he kept bathing my ear," said witness. Afterwards, Cairncross put an arm" round witness's waist, and kSpt talking' "a lot of 'nonsense" 'about" 'their having played football together. McCann separated them. When witness was leaving they, all crowded round trying to.make friends. They offered to shake hands. .Witness refused. ..... Ferguson' I. was only trying to act. the peacemaker. I.am a member of a Christian society, St. Andrew's Church. The Magistrate: Then why,, in those circumstances, did you trouble the police in this matter?. Ferguson replied that the'eye was very painful. When, he was attacked the second time, someone tried to get a-finger in his eye.. He only thought it was his duty to stop; the'fight.- He was acting the Good Samaritan. The eye was closed for seven' or eight days. It was still sore, and gave him headaches. In evidence, McCann said that after he first pushed Ferguson off, the latter came back in a fighting attitude. When McCann hit-him, it took all the fight out of him. Before the disturbance started, McCann .and Standen' were sitting down and. had hold of each other. "We wouldn't fight: we both belong to the same football' team," he concluded. Sub-Inspector Roach: But Ferguson said he was a man of peace. The Magistrate: Apparently militant peace. ' . . ■ - . Standen and Cairncross also gave evidence. ' ..-■;.- The cases against McCann, Standen, and Cairncross were all dismissed. Ferguson was convicted and fined 10s and costs. ■• - . ' '