TERRIBLE TONGUES

NZ Truth, Issue 890, 16 December 1922, Page 7

TERRIBLE TONGUES

Magistrate Amazed

THE LANGUAGE OF YOUTH

Minds Must Be Cesspools.

When a case-hardened Magistrate expresses himself absolutely shocked by specimens of language submitted to him, it is certain that such language is anything but polite, and when. Magistrate Wilson declared that nine words used on a Birkenhead wharf recently were the worst he had heard m .Court for many a long year, the fact that the culprits were two youths under 18 years of age made the matter appear all the worse,

Prank Ashman land Brian . McKenna were charged m the Auckland Police Court with having been disorderly while drunk and with having used obscene language on the Birkenhead wharf towards the mate of the ferry steamer Albatross. Lawyer Dickson appeared for the pair and said he had been instrncted that they remembered nothing about the affair.

The mate of the Albatross related the doings of this precious pair of young ruffians. On a recent evening they came on board the ferry just before she left " Auckland on the 5.54 trip. Going up the gangway, McKen.na let drop a couple of bottles of beer, which smashed. He was loudly cursed by Ashman, who took two other bottles from him and placed them m his pockets. When on board, they walked through the crowded ladies' saloon, cursing and swearing, and then sat themselves down In- the smoking cabin, vonaitjng all over the floor arid seats and making the place m an awful mess. When the mate came along they greeted his request for them to clean up the mess with derisipn and used the foulest language Imaginable. They got ashore at Birkenhead and went into the waiting room. As the ferry was about to steam away again they tried to get aboard to go back to the city, but this the mate refused to allow them to do, hauling up the gangway m their faces. Then they stood on the wharf with their' hands shaped trumpet-Uke to their mouths and shouted out the foulest imaginable epithets.

Here Senior-Sergeant Rawle took the witness's deposition and, going up to the Bench, read it m a low tone to the - Magistrate. Some of this whispered repetition penetrated to the ears at the Press table and turned the reporters' stomachs — and goodness knows' reporters are" used to hearing shocking things. The witness said the youths shouted at the top of their voices. There were numerous women and girls on deck, and they fled to the sanctuary of the saloons to try and * SHUT OUT THE OBSCENE SOUNDS. The Birkenhead johnop - said he \ found the lewd youths m the- waiting shed on . the wharf, drinking beer, -i singing, shouting and swearing. Yes, they were lively; very. He' judged they were not fit to be left there, so' ,he took them m charge and escorted them over the water and lodged them m the city lock-up. On the way over they vomited on the boat again. Mr Dickson: You know Ashman, don't you?— Yes. He's a decent boy? — Well, I can't say much of him. Mr Dickson said one of the lads was not yet 17 and the other not 18, though they both looked older. The prosecution' had not proved that the wharf was a publio place, and he raised this point that it was not . Senior -Sergeant Rawle: It is a place to which the public have access and so comes within the Act. In any case, the language was heard m the ferry and the ferry boats are "public places." The Magistrate: I am satisfied the wharf is a public place. Mr Dickson: They are both respectable boys— -the strong liquor went to their heads'. It was unfortunate language The Magistrate: It is quite the worst I have had to listen to for a very long time. It is ABSOLUTE FILTH. One canndt understand respectable people, as you describe them, Mr Dickson, *using such filthy language. I do not know what their minds are llke-*~ they must be veritable cesspools. They must have it m their minds pr, drunk or not drunk, th,ey could not use it. Mr Dickson: - It is really not uncommon language. The Magistrate (earnestly) : I hope lt 13' Mr Dickson: They had just taken on work as seamen m the places of two of the men who came out, and they must have picked it up on the ship. They were completely under tho Influence of liquor and do not remember anything about it. The Magistrate: They should never have been able to obtain liquor — that is one of the shocking things about It.

Senior-Sergeant Rawle stated that Ashman was previously before the Court m 1920 for minor thefts and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence. The Magistrate: On the chargj of being disorderly while drunk the nccused are each nned £3, ln default 14 days' Imprisonment with hard labor. They aro each convicted also on the other charge. If they wero • older men I would have no hesitation m sending them to prison for a substantial term. I have never listened to more disgusting language than these two young men used. They are so young I do not want to place them m prison, but I am going to put them under control. They will be placed on probation for two years, and It will bo one special condition that they must abstain absolutely from liquor during that period. "And if you got into trouble again," added tho Magistrate, addressing the youths, "I will have you brought up here and sontenco you to Imprisonment. You are each liable to be put m gaol for twolve months for thlß language."