DISORDERLY CONDUCT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 150, 27 June 1931, Page 6

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

SHOWMAN DISTURBED. THREE COURT CONVICTIONS. When he was endeavouring to get a crowd outside his tent at the Palmerston North Show on June 20, pebbles were thrown at him. said Leslie Clinton Hamilton, in giving evidence at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. He located the source of the disturbance and went down to remonstrate with those responsible. They became abusive, so he sought police assistance. Consequently Leona id Avery, Ernest Anderson and Arthur Anderson were charged yesterday with disorderly conduct. Miss B. Hamilton said that the ac cused were shooting material with a potato gun. The men were disorderly and annoying other people, as well as members of the company. A member of the company stated that the accused asked first for free tickets to the show, and witness lefused. They then mingled with the crowd and created the disturbance. Other witnesses also testified as to the accused being implicated. Constable Miller said he was called to the scene of the disturbance. The accused denied that they were the cause of the trouble, but refused to say who the men were. They had no toy guns on them when searched at the police station. Ernest Anderson said it was some men in front of him who were firing the shots from the toy guns. This statement was corroborated by the other accused. Michael Lynch, of Palmerston North, who accompanied the accused to the Show, said he saw some other persons near the sideshow shooting something out. of toy guns. When the police wore sent for these men disappeared in the crowd.

'file Magistrate said there was no doubt some persons were creating a nuisance at the tent. He considered that there was little chance that Mr Hamilton and his staff were mistaken in their identity, ns they were Lvikiug down on the crowd. They also had the evidence of an independent witness. It. was impossible to disbelieve this evidence. He would enter a conviction, and as the men had been of previous g«-od conduct, the fine would be fixed light at £2 each, together with witnesses expenses, 19s each.