HOOLIGANISM IN PATEA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 October 1926, Page 4

HOOLIGANISM IN PATEA.

TN EVIDENCE AT HOSPITAL BALL. STRAIGHT TALK BY -COUNCILLORS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Straight from the shoulder were the remarks of several councillors at Monday evening’s meeting of the Patea Borough ’Council, when a complaint, of behaviour at a recent function in the Town Hall raised the whole question of hooliganism in the town.

The lessee of! the Town Hall wrote with reference to some wilful damage done to the place on the occasion of, the recent hospital ball. He stated that, under instructions from the council, he had locked the door of the lavatory in the men’s dressing room. During the evening the door was broken open. The lessee pointed out that under the condiitons of hire, the hirer had to pay for all damage done, which meant that the Hospital Board , would have to make the damage good. The Mayor (Mr P. S. I-'inlayson) stated that, owing to the manner in which this lavatory was being grossly misused, the council had instructed the lessee to keep the place locked. This matter under review was a deliberate act of vandalism. He did not think it was the act of any local residents, but. at times certain outsiders came along and tried to take charge of affairs. Or Christensen said it was a great pity the lessee did not at once inform the police. He had no time for this blackguardism, and the sooner these hooligans were put in their -proper place the better. Even the war memorial gates were not free from thatrascality, for some of the lettering had been picked out. Nothing but strong measures would do, and he was prepared to give £lO towards putting an end to this kind of thing. ■Cr Thomson said that anyone who 'would perpetrate acts of this kind was an absolute “waster.” He was rather afraid the police were not doing their duty in not prosecuting enquiries in the direction of running these men to 'earth, i Cr Christensen: Men! Things is nearer the mark. | Too much of this class of thing was going on in Patea, added Cr Thomson. There was no encouragement to improve the place, for, as soon as anything was done, along came a silly fool and smashed things up, and no action was taken to catch the perpetrator. It was finally resolved to notify the lessee that the council would take steps to protect the property in future, and, on the motion of Cr Christensen, seconded by Cr Thomson, it yvas resolved to notify the police of the affair, and to indemnify the lessee in the present case.