STREET HOODLUMS.

NZ Truth, Issue 198, 3 April 1909, Page 5

STREET HOODLUMS.

A CUBA-ST. DISTURBANCE. Beer, Bobbies, Biff , and "Boob.' Some Salutory Sentences.

'Tis a most wonderful 'thing what silly galoots will do when they get outside a pint of beer or otfier sort of swanky, and it would appear - that some of Wellington's swelled-headed youths— of which the Empire city boasts a. very considerable numberpride themselves on getting into that deplorable state of mental aberration known as shikkered. Beer and the Bible play a great part m the history of this Dominion, which Sir Joseph Ward endeavors to deceive himself into the belief is the hub of the universe, and himself the almighty ruler of it. But whether Beer or the Bible has the most to do with making New Zealand history is riot the province of this respectable family paper to enquire into at the present thno. Ono thing is certain, and that is that beer soakers and bible bangers have two things m. common which could really make a mutual platform, for the advocates of each to stand on; firstly, the individuals of each section get into such a state of excitement over nothing, when they indulge m THE MOST INTEMPERATE ■ LANGUAGE, and secondly, the noble armies of beer battlers and bible bangers have* each devel-, loped the art of cadging, otherwise sponging, to such' a degree that it amounts to a, fine art/ and it is'-'dimcult to decide' which Jsec-o tioii his" attained the ' highes b degree m this respect. When a cove rejoicing in 1 the name' of Leslie 1 Euster Gordon Short— a name like that- is a hardship to anyone, and "would provoke a saint to fight— got.' outside a 1 bottle .of lemon squash, or hop beer, or some other equally fiery liquid on Saturday night last he fancied he was Voucher Fisher leading on his prohibition fanatics, and. getting into Cuba-street he proceeded to harangue the crowd, at thesame^time brandishing a bottle of beer over his head like. J. J. North waving his maulers when leading a deputation of wowsers m a futile attempt to persuade the civic fathers to close down the Town Hall on Sundays to lovers of decent music, until such time .as he had collected* the tray bits at his Vivian-street baptistry;. Now a quiet copman named Quaile observed the Short cove . . .. . ; BEHAVING LIKE A SALVAJRMY . , ' ■".'•. ..' MADMAN, ; ' •"• ' ■ and quietly adVised him to. go home, hut Short was having the time of his life, arid was riot giving up the limelight, to please, the cop but resorted to tactics calculated to make the bluest bluebottle quail, but Cop Quail declined to be bluffed, and requested. Short to accompany him to another place,; But Short did not heed the soft persuasive tones .of. the youthful and quiet copman, and started m to have a sort of wrestling match; At this, stage Cop Doyle happened along and took; a* hand m the game, which had now developed, into a sort of three handed reel, and quite a crowd of sight^ers cohgrejgated to witness the performance. ; It was hereabout that Horace Dundon, his pianly hreast swelling with pride or beer, got a sort of half" nelson -on to Short, and endeavored to drag him out of the clutches of .the copmen, and accompanied his efforts by • shouting to the crowd "go on boys, give them ago for it !." Not content with this Dundon encouraged Short to resist his captots, and joyously called him a ero. *Then up came two misguided youths named Walter Clues and John Kelly, wno'exhprted ethe prisoner, Short, to "go oofn f and give it to him," and Glues, addressing the crowd, appealed for. , r - .. " THREE CHEERS FOR THE <ERO ! " /However, 'Tec Cassens just here popped on -the-scene, and..Glues persuaded to.'_be- > have himself and go-for a Jittle walk. It ■was with the greatest difficulty that Short was got to Manners-street police station, ! the crowd following and various breezy youths inoiting the 'ero to resist his captors. The four afore-mentioned principals m the ' drama appeared before Beak; R-iddell on , Monday morning, when SHort told the -SiM. that, he knew nothing of the disturbance until he woke up m the police cell on Sunday morning. Dundon pleaded ilot guilty to obstructing, but guilty to/ inciting. •Clues, for- whom Mr.> Meredith appeared, pleaded guilty. Mr. Meredith said that his client really knew little about the pecurence. He had had a few beers, and, seeing a crowd m Ouha-street, was attracted thithet, then m the fulsome joy of his heart, feeling quite, happy and. amiable, he i sang, put . " hooray 1 hooray 1 " but unfortunately* 1 Tec Cassells was m the crowd and put a stop to his over joyous mirth. Kelly pleaded not guilty, and stated that he only followed th.c crowd to the station to see if .he could bail Short out. But Oop Doyle told the austere vis.aged beak a different yarn ..altogether. He had noted Kelly particularly; and heard him urge the prisoner to "go on and give, it to him." "As soon as the prisoner, .Short, was deposited m the lockup," said Doyle, " I came outside and made towards Kelly, who asked " can I bail Short out ? " , "I'M GOING TO BAIL YOU IN/ replied the copman, and he did so. Both constables described Dundon. as .the" ring- ' leader of the disturbance, and C6p Quail added, that, but for Dundon, Short would have gone quietly. Dundon was sentenced to one month's gaol for obstructing, and fourteen days quod ""for inciting, the sentences to run. concurrently. Kelly and Clues were each fined £5, m default fourbeen days on the Terrace! Short, for being • drunk and disorderly, was fined £2, m default fourteen days gaol, and for resisting Constable Quayle and assaulting Constable Doyle,- was sentenced to twenty-one days gaol on each charge, without' the option 6i a. fine; the sentences, to run concurrently. This journal considers that the.two chief offenders got only whaj; they deserved, as the police constables, who were subjected to much danger m the midst of a large hostile crowd, only did their duty,. and m the performance of their duty to the general public - m preserving law and order, the police should be protected from irresponsible hoodums who catanot control themselves. '