“A PERFECT NUISANCE”

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1930, Page 15

“A PERFECT NUISANCE”

YOUTH’S DISTURBANCE OF DANCE.

MAGISTRATE FROMISES PRISON.

“People who disturb public dances and entertainments are a perfect nuisance; I am prepared to use the severest means to put down disturbances at public functions,” said Mr. R. W. Tate, S.M., in convicting Sydney Charles Brereton on charges of assault and the use of indecent language at a public dance at Fitz* r °y- ■ The case was hoard in the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday, The defendant chose to be detflt with summarily. He was lined £1 on a charge of • assaulting John Arthur Burr, and on the charge of using indecent language he was ordered to come up for sentence in 12 months.

Brereton had requested admission to a weekly dance held in the Fitzroy hall by the Fitzroy school .committee, the prosecution claimed. Admission' had befen refused by Mr. Btirr.on account of the defendant’s previous conduct. Brcrcton struck Burr on the face and then used the language complained of, which cduld be heard' inside the hall.

For the defendant Mr. R. 11. Quit* Hain said there was no question of defendant having had liquor and it was therefore more difficult to understand his conduct. He was a keen amateur boxer and at a previous .dance an argument had arisen about the boxers Donovan and Sarron. It had not been serious,, but had caused a nuisance in the hall and had resulted in the committee’s decision to exclude Brereton. The second time, when ho' was refused admission, he thought his treatment most unfair, had. lost his head and made a fool of himself. One thing he was sure of, and that was that no one inside the hall had heard the language used. He was a steady youth and in steady employment. 1. .

“For language like this you are liable to a long term Of imprisonment—in fact, a . longer term than you could receive for tho assault,” said the magis-' trate. He would lot' defendant work out his own-salvation on the-indecent language, charge by ordering him to come up for sentence inter, But he would not hesitate tor.send young men to guol if that sort of thing happened at public dances. ' /•