The Evening Star THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1904.

Evening Star, Issue 12164, 7 April 1904, Page 4

The Evening Star THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1904.

We are glad to note that the Port Chalmers Bench yesterday dealt Public very summarily with a couple XnSwmces. 0 f hoodlums who appeared

before them on separate charges of drunkenness, obscene language, and offensive behaviour. The accused on Tuesday last got into a railway car, in which were a number of men and women, travelling to Port, when one of-the offenders not only made himself obnoxious to the passengers generally, but particularly to the women, against whom he lurched and rolled. When remonstrated with a string of horrible talk—in itself to tho clean mind more offensive than a blow—was his only answer, and this was kept up, more or less persistently and consistently, until he was ejected from the train at Sawyers Bay. The Bench inflicted the substantial fine of £5, or one month's hard labor—a sentence, we hope, that came not only as a distinct shock to the offender, but one that will act as a warning and a deterrent to any who may in future feel called upon to " enjoy " themselves in a like manner. Further fines of 10s for drunkenness and of 20s in the case of each of the parties for resisting the guard when seeking to eject them and repeating their villainous mouthings may be regarded as approximating to the necessities of the A money payment, or one month's genuine hard work, is perhaps the only means of appreciably touching this too common class of offender. A homily or warning, followed by a 5s fine—such as is not unknown in analogous cases in Duned'm would be an outrage upon decency and justice. Railway and tramway officials must be protected by the Bench (and loyally helped by the public) i n the performance of their duty, and people should be able to feci that when entering a railway carriage or any other conveyance that "they are as safe from aggression and insult as when in their own homes. Unfortunately this is not always the case, especially at holiday times. CaCow youths and ignorant men, after a day's debauch, are too often permitted to turn the cars on the railways into a miniature Inferno, The only cure, failing a touch of the lash, is a comparatively heavy money penalty, or its equivalent in gaol. We therefore compliment the Port Chalmers Bench on their appreciation of the responsibility resting upon them in this relation. Once let it he known that sentences of a similar character are to be the rule, not the exception, and we shall hear less of obscene conduct in railway trains.