A ROUGH AND TUMBLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17175, 4 February 1930, Page 4

A ROUGH AND TUMBLE

YOUNG MAN PINED SATURDAY NIGHT DISTURBANCE The sequel to a brawl which occurred in Lowe street on the evening of January 25 was heard by Mr. P. If. Harper, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday afternoon, when George David Green pleaded not guilty to a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place. Senior-Sergeant Wade prosecuted and Mr. E. T. Brosnahan appeared for the defendant. The facts as explained in evidence by Constable Brown were that at about I p.m. there was a fracas at the back of Good's buildings, which was not a public place. There was a general mix-up amongst a number of men and witness separated-them, and sent three of them off, keeping the defendant and two others back for about five ininites. Later, however, when he let them go the three followed up the other trio that witness had released, and witness saw Green strike a man named Murphy. Witness stopped the affair, andtpld the men to go home. The defendant,' refused to move, and said be had committed no offence. Witness told him that if ho would not go-, home he would have to arrest him in the interest of peace. To Mr. Brosnahan, witness said the man Murphy admitted that ho had been "looking for trouble, and got il." Tho whole lot of them were, a Jialfdrunken, brawling icrowd; added the constable.

Mr. Brosnahan explained that the whole trouble was caused 'by Murphy, who sought a fight with Green behind the building, and not having had enough then, bailed him up and started again afterwards. It would lie grossly unfair if this man was convicted and the self-admitted trouble-maker, from whom Green was only defending himself, got

away. Evidence was given by a passer-by. Georgo .McLaughlin, who stated that from the other side of the road be could see that Murphy was "itching for a fight."

The magistrate said, he had no reason to doubt the constable's evidence. Green and his mates had evidently been in dulging in some liquor with a punch in it, with the inevitable result that they engaged in a rough and tumble in the street. It was difficult to say who was tho aggressor:' there were several in it. and Green was one of them. Tho others may havo 'been equally to blame, but that bad nothing to do with'it, in this enjn. The defendant certainly was behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place, and be would be convicted and fined £l.