MIDNIGHT AFFRAY

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 10

MIDNIGHT AFFRAY

DISTURBANCE DN WATERFRONT AGGRESSIVE SCOTS TAKE ISSUE WITH ' POLICE WHOLE GREW TURNS OUT TO BACK THEM The stillness of the midnight air on the waterfront was rudely shattered last evening when three pugnacious (and drunken) Scotsmen from the Port Hobart joined issue with the local constabulary and endeavoured to toss two representatives of law and order oyer the wharf. They had resented being spoken to by a constable while drinking (and using obscene language) on the wharf, and when a taxi arrived to take them to the police station the whole crew of the Port Hobart, evidently highly indignant at the treatment to be raetea out to their colleagues, turned out and informed its driver that both he and his car would go overboard if he took any hand in Eroceedings. The thoughtful driver, owever, merely drove off and picked up jpolice reinforcements, who finally subdued the principals of the disturance and carried them off. Three sober Scotsmen —Donald Martin , (twenty-five), Georg© M'Kenzie (twenty-two), and John M'Leod (twenty-five)—appeared in the Police Court this morning and admitted charges of assaulting the police, using language, damaging police uniforms, and damaging a taxi. Senior-sergeant Mac Lean told the court that just before midnight Constable Chaytor, who was on duty in the vicinity of the wharf, was attracted there from some distance away by the noise. On going to the end of the wharf he found the three defendants •drinking out of a bottle of whisky and using bad language. He spoke to them quietly and advised them to go back on board ship. Martin promptly told him that he would use as much bad language as he liked, and that if the constable did not go away he would be thrown into the water. Martin followed up this statement by trying to push the constable oVer the edge of the wharf. In the meantime Sergeant Starke heard the din and came over. He was also attacked and was compelled to use his baton on the three men. This disturbance had now moved up to near where the Port Hobart was moored, and the chief officer, roused by the noise, rang for a taxi to take the men into custody. The taxi duly arrived, but by this time the firemen and other members of the crew joined in and informed its driver that if ho proposed to have any hand in proceedings he and his taxi would be dumped overboard. The taxi driver wisely drove off round the city streets and picked up as many police as he could, and then returned to the wharf, where the men were taken into custody. The constable was fortunate in that the sergeant came along, , If he had not, there would have been serious trouble. The sergeant’s coat and the constable s tunic were torn in the struggle on the wharf, both being damaged to the extent of about 10s. The taxi was also damaged to the extent of £1 when the men were being driven to the station. M'Leod (asked if he had anything to say): I never interfered with the police. I didn’t take me hands out of me pockets all the time. ~ Martin and M'Kenzie (m equally broad burrs): I don’t remember nothing. „ , ; . The chief officer was called, and testified that all three had never given any trouble before, and their work had been satisfactory. Each had between £6 and £8 due to him in wages. Each of the defendants was fined and ordered to make good the damage (£2) to the taxi and the policemens uniforms. Mir Bundle also directed that they should be held in custody until 4 o’clock this afternoon—half an hour before their boat was to sail.