A “RUMMY” AFFAIR

Southland Times, Issue 20495, 25 May 1928, Page 3

A “RUMMY” AFFAIR

AFTERMATH OF MAY FAIR. INDIAN IN DOCK. In the Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., an Indian, Ranga Dalya, was charged with various offences which suggested that he had drunk, not wisely, but too well. Such proved to be the case. Senior-Sergeant Fox stated that the circumstances in regard to the first three charges (obscene language, resisting the police and disorderly behaviour) were that the offences took place on Saturday night in front of the Grand Hotel. A party from Ocean Beach and Bluff were giving an entertainment. Accused, who was evidently the worse for liquor, endeavoured to get up on to the lorry by catching hold of girls’ legs. The police were summoned, and attempted to arrest him. He kicked and struggled and the police had to handcuff him. Even while he was being led along by the police he continued to use the language complained of. In connection with the assault charge, which took place earlier in the night, accused caught hold of a girl roughly by her dress and in the ensuing struggle two buttons fell off. She was housemaid at the same hotel at Bluff as accused, and a similar assault had occurred before. The girl had given no encouragement. Mr Eustace Russell, counsel for accused, explained that the young man concerned was an Indian of superior caste and education. He had been porter at Bluff for some time and no complaint had been made by the girl. A letter from the proprietor of the hotel, eulogising Ranga was read. An unsolicited letter from a Dunedin resident with whom accused had lived, and several testimonials from business firms were also read. Continuing, Mr Russell said accused had served voluntarily in Mesopotamia for two years. Prior to the offence he had had an unquestionable character. He never drank while he was at the hotel, but that night friends had given him wine and then rum, the fumes of which had inflamed his brain. The Magistrate, commenting on the charge of obscene language, said that if all that filth was poured out, the whole spirit of carnival would be spoilt. Some Magistrates would give six months for the offence. Taking all matters into consideration, he would convict and fine accused £lO, and witnesses’ expenses £1 17/6, for the charge of obscene language, convict and discharge him for resisting the police, convict and order him to come up for sentence on the assault charge and convict and discharge him on the charge of disorderly behaviour. Ranga would be given a fortnight in which to pay the fine, in default one month’s hard labour.