WARNING TO YOUNG MEN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12867, 27 May 1905, Page 2

WARNING TO YOUNG MEN.

USE OF OBSCENE LANGIMiGE.

(Mir Hutchison, S.M.", and Sergeant ■Hadfclrell made some remarks at the Police Court on Saturday respecting the practice of young fellows congregating at street., corners and other places of rendezvmrs and using offensive language, which should be taken j cognisance of by. . those co»eerned. I Charles Jensen, &r-ydxmg& r -ydxmg man, was i charged with using obscene language iin Dejvon-street on ( f Friday] night Counsel for accused; who pleaded guilty, stated that in making xise of the- expressions embodied Jin j thq charge sheet, accused was merely repeating what someone else had said, but being excited he did not moderate his voice, and the police happened to come along inopportunely, for him. It was after ten o'clock and no, ladies were about, and it .was further pointed out that accused .was a youth of good character. Sergeant Haddrell said so far as he knew -accused was of good character. The trouble was, however, that young m«n of the town collected at different places and made use of language which 1 passers by were forced to hear. He suggested that if ( the language must be used the young fellows shquld select a spot where it 1 would riot 'be overheard by, the public. The S.M. remarked from complaints frequently made to > him^ he %ad gathered that ihere was an uridiesirable class of young, men in the, toTrn who not only used bad language* itiiv were in the habit of insulting you»g women ' as , they (passed/ alongf .<th,e street. Owing to the frequency of the complaints he would tell the accused and the young- men with whom) he v consorted that if a case of that kind was brought before him (the S.iM?.) he would administer seVere punishment, because th© evil had to be put down with a strong hand in order to make New Plymouth a place, as it should be, where people could go along the street without interference and offence. The language accused had ,used was obscene and disgusting, arid after warning accused of the seriousness of the offence, rendering him liable to a term of imprisonment, a fine of £1 and costs was inflicted.