THE HINDU'S ORGAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18297, 13 January 1923, Page 7

THE HINDU'S ORGAN.

MUSIC IN GREY STREET.

A SUNDAY AFTERNOON ROW. A young Hindu fruit-hawker, Bhikha Gopal, of Grey Street (Mr. Rudd), stood, almosj; as immovable as a statue, in the Police Court yesterday to answer a charge of. assaulting William Eggenton on Sunday afternoon, December 10. The case came before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. ' William Eggenton said he asked the Hindus living next door to stop playing their organ. The accused went to the door with a spanner and struck him on the head with it. The Hindus were playing the organ when he wanted to go to sleep. They played up to 11 p.m. When he complained it was about 2.30 p.m. He threw a stone to make them hear. Witness had only had " two medium beers " that day. He admitted he was "no judge of music." William Litt said that Eggenton was "not using' language." He asked the Hindus to stop playing the organ, and the next thing he saw was that Eggenton got a "crack over the head." The Magistrate: It is nonsense to try to stop these men playing their . organ or amusing themselves. ;:■ The accused, who "gave his evidence through an interpreter, said that Eggenton threw Bto.ies and used filthy language. His brother went to the door, but he did not take the spanner with him. The spanner was on a table in the kitchen, where it had been for some days. Two other Hindus gave evidence. _ The one who was playirfg the organ said he learned to play in Grey Street. The other said none of the Hindus who went to the door had a spanner or anything else. ';•*..."' ■:.-..'. The magistrate said he was not satisfied a spanner had been used, but the man might haive been hit with a stick. If a spanner had been used he would not have been present that day. -Eggenton had no fight to interfere. It was ai very good thing to play an organ on Sunday. He dismissed th.v charge, but ordered the accused to pay costs. ' Through , the interpreter, he told the Hindus that in the event of trouble they were not to have a scuffle, but go to the police.