COLLECTORS INSULTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19265, 2 March 1926, Page 12

COLLECTORS INSULTED.

WATERSIDE WORKER'S LAPSE.

SEVEN DAYS' IMPRISONMENT

Three charges were prefeired against Nicholas Martin Saunders, waterside worker, aged 52 (Mr. Sullivan), in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. He was charged with using indecent language, and also with using insulting language and assaulting on Queen's wharf two young ladies who were taking round collecting boxes on behalf of the Auckland Hospital Patients Fund. Evidence was given that the two ladies were asked to go on board a ship and that accused used the language complained of and raised his clenched fist as though to strike them. There were ten convictions for drunkenness recorded against him- ■ Mr. Sullivan said that he had known accused for about 14 years. The acts were committed while under the influence of liquor. Accused had been working on basic slag cargoes and counsel asked the magistrate if xie knew how hard this work was and how much it affected the men. At three o'clock a friend had given Saunders a flask of whisky. Accused had put money in the hospital box himself and ,had collected for the hospital in the past among the waterside workers, of whose union he was an expresident. Counsel asKed that accused should bo dealt with leniently and that a fine should be imposed. The magistrate said it was dangerous language to use to women, who would not come forward to take round collecting boxes if such things occurred. On the charge of using indecent language accused would bo sentenced to. seven days' imprisonment. The two charges oi assault would be withdrawn, and on the remaining charge of using insulting lan-' guage accused would be ordered to come •up for sentence within 12 months if called upon. Accused was ordered to pay thq costs of the prosecution within one month and to defray the expenses of four witnesses.