BAD LANGUAGE AT DANCE

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1927, Page 8

BAD LANGUAGE AT DANCE

HE LOST HIS “REFRESHMENTS.” SUBSTANTIAL FINE IMPOSED. “This young man appears to be a person whose language needs a disinfectant,” said Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., in the Stratford Court yesterday, on looking over the charge sheet in respect of a charge of obscene language alleged to have been used by Stewart Jackson, a clerk in the Perpetual Forests, Ltd., Rotorua. Accused pleaded guilty and on electing to be dealt with summarily was fined £7 10s. Sergeant Reid explained that the offence occurred just after midnight during a dance at Midhirst. Apparently accused had gone to a motor-ear parked on the main road to secure refreshments but, finding that some unauthorised person had already taken the packages, broke out into the obseene language complained of. There were sevevcral people in the vicinity, including •one or two women in motor-cars, and two policemen in plain clothes. The magistrate: By refreshments I suppose you mean bottles of beer. Sergeant Reid: Beer and sandwiches. The sergeant went on to say that he was continually receiving complaints about bad language at country dances. The magistrate to counsel for accused: Now, Mr. Coleman, can you give me any reason why I should not send this young man to gaol? Mr. Coleman said accused had not attended the hearing in person because he had recently broken an arm at Rotorua. He had been visiting friends at Stratford and accompanied them to the Midhirst dance. After commenting upon the lateness of the hour and the isolated position of the hall, Mr. Coleman asked: “How w T as accused to be expected to know there were women 'in nearby motor-cars?” He urged a previous good record in mitigation of the offence and explained that on going to the car accused found that his overcoat had also been removed. With a view to checking objectionable behaviour at country dances, the magistrate imposed the substantial fine of £7 10s.