ROWDY FRENCHMEN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 672, 24 November 1909, Page 8

ROWDY FRENCHMEN.

FIVE .MEN-O'-WAESMBN :ABEESTED.,. SCENE IN-A HOTEL,- •' .'- V.lßy Telegraph—Prcaa, AasooUUan.l 'v V "- , •' ; Auckland, November 23. ;,;Seven'French.men-o'-wafsinen; from-Noumea awaiting a steamer to proceed to Sydney; made 'a disturbance in an hotel last night. -Having been refused beer On the ground, thajt they, had had enough, one' man behind; the bar. He was'stopped'by'the barmaid, and smacked her face. Assistance' arriving, a ■ rough and tumble followed.,, The Frenchmen wereTaundled out, some of them sustaining rather^severe in-, juries, r.The police arrested five of the men,, and conveyed them to the'nqlice station, where their injuries were attended' to by the doctor. Two of the 'ringleaders were , charged: with assault, and oreatirigl a broach of .the-jjeace; All were subsequently bailed out by the French Consul and placed.aboard the.'Maheno, bound for Sydney. ...'..?"'•'.:•'•.'. ■'.'■.';'/.■■'■ ■■•'"■■'■■';'.. When the .cases were' called on: at the Court this morning, Mr.. Kettle, "S.M., comirieirted strongly upon the men-o'-warsmen having been allowed bail, and permitted to, leave by the. Mahenb. He, said:—"l .don't, care who ..they are or. what' country they belong to; they cannot be dealt with any differentty from our own people. If men. are to commit gross assaults, on women, it is wrong, to permit, them to go away. I.want to know.by what authority the police allowed them to leave the country.' 1 Mr. Kettle subsequently expressed himself as satisfied with the explanation. given that the offence did not at.first appear to be serious.. He ordered the bail to bo estreated.. ; ■