Concerts should continue—Mayor

Press, 7 February 1986, Page 4

Concerts should continue —Mayor

PA Wellington The Mayor of Wellington, Mr lan Lawrence, did not receive any complaints about the Bob Dylan-Tom Petty concert on Wednesday evening. He wants open-air shows at Athletic Park to continue. He said a check with his family who were at home showed that there had been no call of complaint to his Miramar home where the sound of the concert could just be heard.

“I am delighted it all went well and pleased they finished in time,” said Mr Lawrence.

Asked if the long and loud rehearsal on Tuesday evening and subsequent threats to cancel the concert had been a storm in a teacup, Mr Lawrence said the concern had been genuine. “And I think justified. We have three or four concerts over summer and there is another one, Dire Straits, in a few weeks.

“Those performing at open-air venues have got to appreciate they are in

a residential area,” he said.

Residents had accepted, begrudgingly, that there would be several nights a year when they had noise and crowds to put up with. Rehearsals at the same noise level the night before concerts would double the time neighbours were disturbed, Mr Lawrence said.

“So we are saying by all means, rehearse — but do so in daylight hours when most people are at work or awake," he said. At the Bob Dylan concert the police arrested 11 people but said they did not have any problem with the crowd.

Senior-Sergeant Emmett Sharkey, at the Central Police Station watchhouse in Wellington, said the number arrested was about average for such an event.

Though three persons were charged with assaulting the police, the assaults did not appear serious, he said. One of those charged with assaulting a policeman was also charged with offensive behaviour,

unlawfully getting into a car, resisting arrest, and possession of cannabis.

Five others were arrested for possession of cannabis, one was arrested for wilful damage, one for possession of an offensive weapon (a knife), and one person was arrested for being intoxicated and was taken away for detoxification. The police had assigned a special unit to cover the concert.

Wellington Free Ambulance took two persons to hospital out of 14 they attended. One man was taken to hospital unconscious from a suspected overdose of drugs.

A woman fell down a bank at the concert and was taken to hospital with neck pain.

Ambulance officers sent three persons home in private cars and treated another nine at the concert grounds. Most were minor complaints and a lot of people were affected by alcohol.

Free Ambulance officers said St John Ambulance staff treated a lot of minor complaints.