A DISGRACEFUL DISTURBANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21982, 17 June 1933, Page 2

A DISGRACEFUL DISTURBANCE

AFFRAY AT PORT CHALMERS CONSTABLE VIOLENTLY ASSAULTED The story of a violent struggle with the police and a disturbance at a dance was told in the Port Chalmers Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, when Reginald Edwin James, a seaman on the oversea liner Tamaroa, was called upon to answer several charges. The court was crowded with members of the crew of the Tamaroa, and the story unfolded showed that something in the nature of a Donnybrook took place in Currie street about 10 o’clock on Thursday night. Mr J. -R. Bartholomew, S.M., was on the bench.

James was charged with using indecent language in a public place (the Druids’ Hall) on the night of June 15. He was further charged with assaulting Constable E. C. Adams while in the execution of his duty, with assaulting Charles Roland, who went to Constable Adams’s assistance, and with wilfully damaging a set of false teeth, valued at £6 Gs, belonging to Roland.—James pleaded guilty to the charge of using indecent language, and not guilty to assaulting Constable Adams and Roland and to damaging Roland’s teeth. * Constable Adams said that about 10.10 p.m. on Thursday he was called to the Druids’ Hall, in Currie street, where a dance was in progress. A complaint was made to him that a man in the hall was using obscene language. The defendant had been asked by Mr H. C. Reeves, one of those in charge of the dance, to leave the hall, but James had refused. The defendant v was again asked to leave, and when he refused to comply with the request, witness was called into the hall. He spoke to James, who then refused to leave, and said tlae police could not take him out. Witness then arrested the defendant and took him to the door at the top of the stairs, where he (witness) was pounced on f by five or six other seamen. Witness was knocked to the floor, and the defendant was taken from him. James went back into the hall, and after witness had regained his feet he arrested the defendant again, but was immediately set upon by his shipmates. The defendant kicked witness on the face, but did not inflict any serious injury. Witness again secured a hold on James and handcuffed him, but when he reached the top of the stairs with his prisoner, the defendant’s shipmates defied witness to take him any further. As he was unable to make any headway with his prisoner, he called for assistance, and Charles Roland responded. Roland grasped James by the feet and dragged him down the stairs, where another struggle took place. The defendant kicked Roland in the back and face. Eventually witness succeeded in placing James in the cells. Charles Roland, a carpenter, residing at Carey Bay, said he attended the dance at the Druids’ Hall on Thursday night. The defendant was also present. A disturbance took place, and he saw Constable Adams arrest James. The con; stable was then set upon by four or five other seamen. When called upon witness went to Constable Adams’s assistance, and the defendant kicked him -in the back and the right eye, and one of his thumbs was also injured. Witness produced a tobacco tin which he was carrying in one of his pockets at the time, and said- that the dent showed the violence of defendant’s kicks.

Sergeant M'Rae said that the kicks received by Roland on the back Just missed his spine, otherwise the assault would have been much more serious.

Continuing bis evidence, Roland, who had his right eye covered with a patch, and generally appeared to have received a bad gruelling, said that as soon as Constable Adams reached the door he was rushed by the accused’s shipmates. James was kicking in all directions, and resisting volently. Henry Charles Reeves, a carpenter, residing at Sawyers’ Bay, said lie was one of two in charge of the dance. When the defendant came into the Druids’ Hall he had to check him several times for using bad language. The defendant continued to use obscene language, and refused to leave the hall when ordered to do so. Witness then sent for Constable Adams. While the constable stood at the door, witness again asked James to leave the hall, and when he again refused the constable was called in. James resisted when Constable Adams was removing him, and the accused continued to use most objectionable language. A disturbance followed, James violently resisting arrest, while his mates came to his assistance. While Constable Adams and the other witnesses were giving evidence James frequently interjected from the dock, but was quickly brought to order by the magistrate. He was told that he could give his version of the affair from the witness box later. In the witness box James said he was employed as a seaman on the Tamaroa. Some of the statements made by the witnesses were correct and some were wrong. The policeman had taken hold of him and tried to remove him from the hall. He did not know the policeman, and supposed that he (the constable) was trying to show off. James admitted that he was drunk. He had been celebrating his twenty-first birthday. For the defence, Frederick James Dunbavin, employed as an ordinary seaman on the Tamaroa, said he struck Roland in the eye. He did not see James kick the constable or Roland. James was not exactly quiet. He resisted the constable, and gently pushed Roland with his hands.

Frederick James Dnnbavin, William Johnson, Richard Irwin Evans, and Harold Norman Ward were then charged with obstructing Constable Adams while in the execution of his duty. All arc members of the crew of the Tamaroa. Johnson pleaded not guilty, and the others guilty. Constable Adams described what had taken place when he was placing James under arrest. After placing defendant in the cell, witness, in company with Constables Simpson and Gjersen, returned to the Druids’ Hall and arrested the other four men.

The magistrate said it was a disgraceful disturbance, and one that was rare at Port Chalmers. It was a disturbance caused by a wild lot of seamen. Constable Adams was to be commended for his pluck in holding on to his prisoner and completing bis arrest. It was a very plucky action indeed on the part of the constable. The witness, Charles Roland, was also to be commended for his pluck. He was a small man, but he did not hesitate to go to the assistance of Constable Adams when called upon. On tbe charge of assaulting Constable Adams, James was sentenced to two weeks’ imprisonment. For using obscene language he was fined £3 and costs (2s 6d). in default two weeks’ imprisonment, and on the charge of assaulting Charles Roland he was convicted and fined £2, in default two weeks’ imprisonment. •Tames was also ordered to pay £6 6s for damaging Roland’s teeth, in default two weeks’ imprisonment.

Each of the other defendants was convicted and fined £2, in default two weeks’ imprisonment.