DANCE DISTURBERS

NZ Truth, 7 June 1924, Page 6

DANCE DISTURBERS

Fun that Cost a Fiver

Stopping a Bad Practice.

(From "Truth's" Taranaki Rep.)

By the imposition of fines totalling £13, m default 14 days' imprisonment, Magistrate J. S. Barton made it pretty plain at Hawera last week that -he is not going to countenance the practice of drunken young hoodlums disturbing private dances. It is one of the penalties oi life m the smaller centres that the bloods of the village labor under the misapprehension that every dance should be of the "bob hop" variety, and that when any body of citizens has the temerity to engage a public hall for a private dance it is an affront against the bloods. Their courage bucked up by the aid of a few beers, they then wander along to the scene of the festivities and make themselves a general nuisance until at last steps have to be taken to keep them m their place. Too often this is not done, because m a small centre everybody knows every .other body or his immediate relations, and for their sake the offenders are let go t scot free. But this did not happen o"n.\the occasion of a dance at the Railway Hall, Hawera, recently.

The Railway Social Club were having a dance m the hall when the place ;was duly ( raided by a young gang who caused such an v unseemly disturbance that the dance had to be closed down shortly- after 11 o'clock. When the police arrived at the summons of one of the hall officials, the place was m darknessi and only a few young men were found talking m the vicinity. Alexander \B. Gadmari, who won a bout at the Taranaki amateur boxing championships but didn't turn up to fight his bout of the second. night, and Walter T.'Rosewarne, however, had made themselves so, objectionable and prominent'in the disturbance that they were summoned to appear before Mr. Barton^each to answer charges of having ; caused a breach of the peace by using threatening and with disturbing an entertainment.

Evidence was givpn by L. F. McDonald,,' a railway employee, that he was acting 'as chairman arid doorkeeper for the Railway Social Club on the night of the dance. At 9.30, Cadman and .others called at the door of the hall, atad as they were not railwaymen, they' were refused admittance. Witness turned away, and when again he went to^tho doqr he saw Cadman flourishing a bottle' of beer and heard him boasting, that he had won a fight the night before ; and nobody there could put him* out. After some persuasion the gang. "went away, but they returned after 11 o'clock, Cadman having the cheek to go into ?the supper room, where the witness found him. Rosewarne then became prominent and caused a row. % fight following. McDonald added that he then went for the police, arid, 1 when he got back, found the secretary had decided that the men fighting outside' made the show altogether too rough and had closed the dance, the hall being m darkness when the police arrived. ,

Sergeant Henry said Cadraan was an amateur boxfer; who had been fairly successful m; the ring. The night before he had won. a fight and was probably suffering from swelled head Otherwise he. was known as a decent young fellow. The police, the sergeant added, had received a number of complaints from i: halls that were not directly under their supervision, that gangs or I'pushes'* of young men were creating disturbances at dunces. X*» thought something should be done to put a stop to the" practice.

For causing a breach of the peace, Cadman was fined £1 with costs 7/.-, and for disturbing: 'the dance, wh lon charge Mr. ' Barton characterised as much more seripusV he was fined £5 with costs 17/-. r

Dealing with Rosewarne's share In the trouble, McDonald said the defendant was more tq blame than Cadman because he urged Cadman on and was more under the Influence of ;liquor. He was the first to 'take off his; coat ai\d show his , pugilistic ability. Ha took the main part- and was practically the "leader of the -outfit," The other members of the gang- had taken practically no part In thei affair, but had left when refused .admittance.

Sergeant Henry said that Rosewarno was a racehorse owner. and seemed to have a lot of time on his hands. He Was usually a well-behaved fellow. Mr. Barton fined, 1 Rosewarne £2 (costs 7/-) for causing o> breach of the peace and inflicted the isamo penalty as on Cadman for disturbing tho entertainment. V

The fines and costs were made recoverable by distress, default boing fixed at 14 days' imprisonment m each case. y •