A HEAVY FINE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18614, 9 July 1930, Page 5

A HEAVY FINE

FOR OBSCENE LANGUAGE. (Before Messrs A. L. Gee and P. B. Foote, J.P.’s A man named Alexander Marton, aged 27 years, farmer, of Winton, was arrested at the Timaru railway station on Monday on charges of using obscene language, behaving in a disorderly manner while drunk, and with committing mischief by damaging an overcoat valued at £4, the property of Robert Berry. Mr Emslie appeared for defendant and entered a plea of guilty in each charge. Senior-Sergeant Mathieson said that accused had used indecent language without provocation to a young man whom he did not know, and who was accompanied by two young women. These people moved away, but accused followed one of the young women into the waiting room. Later, he repeated the bad language, and made a grab at the young man, tearing his coat. Railway porters went to the latter’s assistance, and held accused till the arrival of Constable McLellan. The constable had some trouble with accused, who struck him a blow in the face, the result of which could still be seen. However. the police were not prosecuting in that matter. The language used was very bad indeed. It was a case which showed that accused when he had drink, was unable to control himself. Nothing was known against him previously. Mr Emslie said accused was very drunk at the time, and did not remember anything except that he had had a scuffle. He did not drink very often, and he had not been in trouble before. The Brench agreed that although the charges were of a serious nature, as it was accused’s first offence they were reluctant to send him to gaol; nevertheless he ■would be punished in a manner that would make him remember. For using obscene language he would be fined £ls, and on the charge of disorderly behaviour while drunk he would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when. called upon within 12 months. On the charge of wilful damage, he was ordered to make good the damage by replacing the coat. A ; week was allowed in which to replace | the coat, and three weeks in which to | pay the fine, in default one month’s imprisonment.