MIDNIGHT PARTY

Grey River Argus, 18 April 1929, Page 8

MIDNIGHT PARTY

REVELS IN BROOKLYN. WELLINGTON, April 15. A party that was t 0 have been held at Lower Hut, but which was actually held in an empty house in Karepa Street, Brooklyn, had its sequel in the Magistrate’s Court, when Raymond Austin, James Mather Mouat, and Silas H. Palmer, were charged with being found unlawfully in the house on March 2. Austin pleaded guilty and the other two not guilty. Senior-Sergeant Butler stated that the house in question was not yet completely built. Austin had been a carpenter employed 011 the premises, but had left that day, and had no right to be there. He and friends were going to hold a party at Lower Hutt, but being unable to get a bach there, Austin jpivited. some •' -young men and girls to go to the Karepa Street house. The police were communicated with shortly after midnight, and on the ar rival of Constables T. Smith and H. Lowe found the three defendants and three girls on the premises. The hous e was in a disreputable state there being beer, offensive ma.ter, and cigarette butts all over the floors. In quiries showed that there had been six or seven men and an equal number of girls at the party, but the others had gone when the constables arrived. For that reason i had been decided not to take action against them.

The girls, continued Mr Butler, appeared to have had some colour of right to be on the premises, as they had been invited there. There were no lights in the place, -two hurricane lamps being used for the purpose of illumination. Both Austin and Palmer were looked on as members of a gang of hoodlums in Brooklyn, whe had given the police a good deal of trouble. The Magistrate (Mr E. Page, S.M.) said that he considered that Austin would have t 0 take the onus of the blame, for he had invited the others to go to the house. Austin wae fined £lO and costs in default one month’s imprisonment, and the charges against Mouat and Palmer were dismissed. Palmer was also charged with being found unlawfully in a shop on Ohlro Road. The owner of the shop said that at 1 a.m. on March 30, he heard a noise on his roof, and on investigating, found Palmer there. Defendant, in the witness-box, said that h e went up on the roof to get hits which had been thrown there. The Magistrate remarked that it wae clear to him that Palmer had no right on the premises, and impos ed a fine of £5. and costs, in default, one month’s imprisonment.