HEATED FIREMEN.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17775, 11 October 1927, Page 8

HEATED FIREMEN.

STRATHALLAN STREET FIGHT. “AN APATHETIC CROWD.” Although the Pakeha arrived in Timaru only on Saturday morning, by 6.15 the same night there were live of the crew installed in cells at North Street. These five men were dealt with at the Timaru Police Court yesterday morning by Messrs A. L. Gee, J.P., and J. Todd, J.P., when they were charged with creating a disturbance in Strathallan Street, and the other two were charged with theft of a bicycle, and with assault. ONE MONTH. ~ Charles Living and George Carney were each charged with the theft of a bicycle valued at £lO, the property, of John AlcQuilken, while the former was also charged with assaulting Ernest Triggs, by striking him v/ith his fist. • Living pleaded not guilty to the theft charge, but guilty to the assault. Carney pleaded guilty to the theft of the cycle. Senior-Sergeant Gibson told the Court that a man named McQuilken. left his cycle in Church Street, while he visited a shop. On coming out the machine had disappeared. He was told that two sailors had been seen removing the cycle, and he immediately proceeded to the wharf. Some of the wharf officers noticed the men wheeling the cycle along the wharf, and Mr Triggs, who tried to prevent them from taking it aboard, was assaulted. Carney was wheeling the bicycle, and Living was doing the hitting. The men had no money, and he asked that, when considering their punishment, the Bench would place them aboard the ship before she finally sailed from AVellington. The accused were both sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, and were ordered to be placed aboard the ship at AVellington on October 30.

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. David Allison, Patrick Smith,'and Bernard AlcGinty, were each charged with being drunk and disorderly in Strathallan Street on October S. McGinty was also charged .with creating a nuisance. They pleaded guilty to the • first charge, but McGinty said he could not remember the second, and would plead not guilty. Senior-Sergeant Gibson said the disturbance took place as the result of too much drink. The men were first noticed in Stafford Street by Constables Marsh and Walden, who warned them to go back to the ship. McGinty then turned r.ound .and misbehaved himself on the footpath. The constables then went to arrest McGinty, but the others intervened. A large crowd congregated, and were most apathetic towards the constables. “I am surprised to find that Timaru people could be guilty of such behaviour, but the way they incited the firemen by booing the policemen was most disgraceful. If we find out who some of them were, they will also be brought before the Court,” the Senior-Sergeant concluded. He commended two local men who had gone to the assistance of the constables. Constable J. Alarsh gave evidence of having ordered the 1 men back to the ship. Constable AValden and witness gave them sufficient warning, and when McGinty committed the offence complained off it was their duty to arrest him. It was during this' that the disturbance occurred. “It is disgusting that the Timaru public could behave in such a manner The police have a hard row to hoe at any time without the citizens encouraging drunken firemen,” the Bench remarked. They commended the civilians who had the common decency and pluck to assist the police. On the first charge the accused were each fined £l, while AlcGinty was fined another 20/- on the second charge. Both were ordered to pay 11/6 towards the costs.