DISTURBANCE AT A CONCERT AND DANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13353, 6 December 1906, Page 6

DISTURBANCE AT A CONCERT AND DANCE.

CHARGE AGAINST THREE YOUNG MEN. At the Papakaura Magistrate's Court, on December 3, before Mr. H. W. North-1 croft. S.M., three young men. named respectively Bert Graham, Augustus Haydon, and" Thomas Wren, all from Otahuhu, \ were charged with committing a. breach of j the peace at Papakura Valley on Novem- | ber 2. Graham. and Haydon were also charged with using obscene language, and Wren was further charged with disturbing a concert and dance at the same time and place. Mr. J. R. Lundon appeared for the j three defendants, and Constable Lariigan prosecuted. The case occupied the whole of the day. Six witnesses were called for the prosecution (including the Rev. T. P. Fortune, of Papakura). Mr. Eundon called seven witnesses for the defence, which was a complete denial of all the charges. The evidence given by the witnesses for the prosecution went to show that, nine young men from • Otahuhu proceeded to Papakura Valley on the night of November 2, to attend a concert- and dance which was given in aid of church funds. They arrived about half-past nine p.m., some of them more or less under the influence of liquor, and went into the concert, which was then about half over. Shortly. after they entered the hall they became disorderly, and the chairman (the Rev. P. T. Fortune) asked them to be quiet, but they would not. Mr. Fortune then went to the end of the hall and stood there, and they were quieter until the concert ended. After the concert a dance commenced, which was also interrupted by the defendants, who behaved in a disgraceful manner by shouting and clapping aud demanding to be introduced to some of the young ladies who were present, a.nd who kept, as far away from the. defendants as possible, owing to their disorderly eonduct and insulting language. After some little time (lie dance broke up, and defendants went outside the hall, where a dispute arose over Is. which defendant Haydim alleged that he had paid for admission to the dance. This the doorkeeper denied, stating that no one had paid to igo into the dance. This led to Haydon assaulting the doorkeener, and a free fight ensued between the defendants and some of the local settlers. Disgusting and obscene language being used continuously. After hearing the evidence of witnesses for prosecution and defence, 'His Worship stated that he would convict Graham and Havdon. and reserved judgment until .Jauuary 7. 1906, in order to ascertain if defendants were previously of good character. ' His Worship 'reserved his decision in the charges against Wren.