CINEMA DISTURBANCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20095, 15 November 1939, Page 6

CINEMA DISTURBANCE

RUATORIA INCIDENTS BOTTLE THROWN The throwing of a bottle on to the stage, shouting, and general rowdy scuffling by a party of Maoris in the Gaiety Cinema in Ruatoria on a recent evening led to the appearance of two Maoris before Messrs. M. Gudgeon and W. H. O. Johnstone, J.P.’s. in the Ruatoria Police Court.

The eases were conducted by Constable J. W. Birch.

Karauna Te Weehi was convicted and fined £2 and costs 2s on a charge of disturbing an ' entertainment. Shortly after the interval a noise in the front seats was investigated by the manager of the cinema and Constable V. L. Bagge was called to eject one of the parties, Te Weehi, after a general warning had been given to the Maoris in that part of the house about keeping quiet during the performance.

Hori Kaiwai was convicted and fined £2 and costs 2s on a similar charge. The offence was committed on the same evening, the manager’s attention being directed to the front of the hall by the noise of stones being thrown on the floor, and he said he saw Kaiwai throw a bottle on to the stage. Kaiwai denied having thrown the bottle, when he was answering the charge in court

On a charge of using obscene language in Barry's avenue, Ruatoria, Waire Mana Ehau, was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment when he appeared recently before Messrs. W. 11. O. Johnstone and A. J. H. Kirkham, J.P.’s, in the Ruatoria Police Court. He was convicted and discharged on a charge of being drunk and disorderly. Constable Birch said that at 4.45 p.m. on November 11 he saw the accused in the street and he was wanting to fight another Maori. The constable told Ehau to go home and he started to move off. Before he had gone far he turned round and made use of the obscene language, there being a number of women and children about at the time.