BURLESQUE IN PATEA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 400, 8 January 1909, Page 9

BURLESQUE IN PATEA.

< , "HE WANTED "TO DIVE I" V . VEaily on 'Wednesday-evening'the attention of a passer-by was directed to the unusual : behaviour of a half-naked man- on the para-..pot-of the town bridge. A orowd of astoni; uShe'd spectators soon gathered. The unfortunate individual, who appeared to he BomeTffiat under the influence of liquor, walked along the parapet, throwing his arms : about . and gesticulating wildly,' saying . lie going to dive into the river below. The , v' Elan's • conduct; was:. causing some' alarm : ■to " the* onlookers, for ho several times';'neatly . ? Many inducements were held ; • ddt;' to him to come down from his perilous . . ji&sition, but he'would not hear them. A 'wit'in the crowd, wishing to draw the man, rrflsk&i if he was "looking' for light,": 1 because * r.<> ho-'could accommodate him. The eccentric • 'V.intlividual scornfully refused. to: be; drawn. .. Even the tempting offer to "come and have a drink" was declined with a sneer. Ho Wanted to dive! At last tho Mayor, who ; was present, hit upon tho happy „idea of tilling the would-be channel swimmer that he' was getting up a subscription _ for • his bonefit. .Mr. Christensen acted as if .it were r'Jally so, and'the half-clothed person at once .'■ ;dbwn-!to receive the' money. Ho wis. immediately, seized by. a couple of able- _ .bodied persons, handcuffed by Constable j , O'Brien, and sent to tho lock-up in an ex-1 $rdss. ■ ■< :The man, who is said to have been drinki arrived in town by.'the.s.3otrain., """ .The. guard noticed, that tho man was a bit ; merry, and if:he did' not behave ; . /himself he would havo to leavo the train. ■ .: ' This was at : Patea. The individual asked 1 if -there was a hotel at Patea, and being answered in'the affirmative, he quitted the train. On the platform he stuck up a local ■ resident, saying that ho was the champion riflfe shot. The local resident, not caring about the man's i manner, ' quietly left him. The man had a ticket for Wanganui., It w6nld appear that as soon as: ho left_ the ~ tra'in ho must have made for tho bridge, ■■■■■.• whfire he could: not resist the inviting waters. ; • The individual, who gave his name as John- , etoij, subsequently appeared before Mr. J. : J.P., on a spetiific charge, and ' ■tfas 1 ' sentenced to 14 dnys' hard labour in ■Wanganui Onol. whore he will' also undergo ' medical treatment.—"Patea Press."