CELEBRATION OF V-J DAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23347, 2 November 1945, Page 2

CELEBRATION OF V-J DAY

Costly For Married Couple Sequel In Court Gaining access to the bar by climbing outside stairs, V-J Day celebrants created a “donnybrook” in the Commercial Hotel when the licencee refused to serve them at 12.15 a.m., and two defendants who appeared in the Timaru Magistrate's Court yesterday on charges arising from the incident were told by Mr G. G. Chisholm, S.M., that he could not condone such behaviour even on such an occasion.

“Because one major war was finished they apparently thought they could start a private one of their own,” said Sergeant E. J. C. Hay, prosecutor for the police. Shortly after midnight on August 16 the two defendants, Marjorie J. J. Scott and Victor A. Scott, with others, climbed the outside stairs and made their way into the bar of the Commercial Hotel, Timaru, where the licencee, Charles J. Stewart, and a barman were e’eaning up. When Stewart refused to serve him with liquor Scott said he would help himself. There were glasses and handles partly full on the counter and the licencee did not have much success in quietening the argument which followed his refusal to serve the party. He brought his wife to try to persuade them to leave, and Marjorie Scott threw a glass at her, hitting her on the chest. A general “donnybrook” followed and in the melee a hanging clock was damaged, glasses were broken and Stewart was cut by glass on the wrist and head. Apparently defendants were celebrating V-J Day, Sergeant Hay continued; several 'days later Scott called at the hotel, apologised to the licencee for the disturbance, and paid him £25 for the damage done.

£2l Damage Both defendants pleaded guilty to charges of being on licensed premises after hours and to wilfully damaging one suit of clothes valued at £lO, a dressing grow-n £3, one dozen handles £3, wallpaper £2/10clock £l/10/-, six bottles of beer 12/-, six glasses 12/-, a total value of £2l/4/-, the property of Charles J. Stewart. For defendants, Mr Walker said that Scott and his wife had joined some strangers, sailors off a ship in port, during the day, and although these others were partly responsible, the Scotts had taken the whole blame. They regretted the incident and had made restitution of £25, more than the damage done. He suggested that the damages assessed were excessive, (he bottled beer being put down at the retail price. “These people just went too far in their celebrations,” Mr Walker said.

The Magistrate said he could appreciate that the act had been done under special circumstances, also that defendants had made good the damage done by them, but the public must be given to understand that such behaviour could not be condoned under any circumstances, and he could not let them go without penalty. On the charge of being on licensed premises after hours both defendants were convicted and fined £2 and costs; on the wilful damage charge Scott was fined £5 and costs, and Marjorie Scott £1 and costs.