CONSTABLE INJURED

Southland Times, Issue 20226, 11 July 1927, Page 5

CONSTABLE INJURED

AFFRAY ON SHIP TWO MEN ARRESTED. (Per United Press Association.) New Plymouth, July 10. A disturbance at the port of New Plymouth last night resulted seriously for Constable Parkinson and may yet be equally serious for the other parties engaged. The constable is now in the hospital with an injured leg that may prove after X-ray to be broken. To-morrow an ex-cook of the steamer Waipori will be charged with being disorderly, while another man named Burns will be charged with assault. When the Waipori arrived from Newcastle her cook was discharged and a new cook secured from Wellington. When the new cook went to his bunk last night to turn in he found the ex-cook fortified, it is alleged, by liquor, and his friend, Burns, both of whom occupied' the cook's bunk. Finding the odds overwhelming, the new cook approached Captain Gardiner, who ordered the two men out, but they refused to move. The captain telephoned the police. Constables Parkinson and Hadler waited outside; then Parkinson entered the bunkhouse. The ex-cook left the bunk when ordered, but Burns said nobody would move him. Burns attacked Parkinson and kicked him on the leg. After a struggle, Burns was handcuffed, but there was great difficulty in getting him off the ship as he fought fiercely. The gangway was away and the constable was painfully injured. The situation was not devoid of humour. The arrested man lay down on the wharf, but unfortunately for him he found that in wet weather the wharf is charged with electricity in certain parts. The man sprang up without further persuasion and thereafter crawled off the wharf on all fours. Police reinforcements soon arrived and both men were taken to the lock-up.