DISTURBING AN AUDIENCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1918, Page 3

DISTURBING AN AUDIENCE.

BOYS USE OFFENSIVE SMELLING LIQUID.

WELLINGTON, May 30. Two youths seventeen and sixteen years of age respectively, came, before Mr L. #. Reid, S.M., yesterday to answer a charge of disturbing a picture entertainment. Tho youths in question had gone to the Queen’s Picture Theatre on Saturday afternoon, April 27th., for the express purpose of annoying the audience by squirting liquid over the c-lothes of the patrons of tho theatre. To do this they took seats in the dress circle, and by means of syringes squirted the liquid on the people in the body of tlio hall. Sergeant McLean, said that on Saturday afternoon, April 27th., he went to the Queen’s Picture Theatre, Cuba street, at - 4.30. o’clock; On entering the hall he noticed a very offensive smell. Several persons were leaving the building, some of whom complained to the manager about the annoyance to which they had been subjected. One lady approached the manager and stated that her dress had been saturated with some liquid that had beer dropped, from tho dress circle. Tlie manager (Mr Levy) went at once to make investigations and. found the defendants in the dress circle. Each had a bottle containing bisulphide of carbon, and on being interrogated admitted dropping the liquid on to the people below. Each defendant had a syringe in his p'ossess : on. On being questioned, the boys stated that tliej went to the theatre for the purpose of annoying the audience. TJtey were impudent to the manager when he ap--proached them. In answer to the Bench, Mr J. Lineen, probation officer to the Education Board, said ho did not know the defendants, who had not been residents in Wellington for any'length of time. Tbo boys who pleaded guilty, said they came,from Reofton, and were employed at occupations in Wellington. One stated that he was in receipt of £2/10/- per week and the other £o pAr wegk. | The Magistrate in addressing them, said that they should be given a thrashing for the offence of which they were guilty, but the law only provided for a fine. He did not believe in sending

youths to gaol as uo good purpose would bo served thereby. They did not improve their position by being impudent to the manager of the theatre, and to spoil persons’ clothes was an act of pure mischief. Each would : he convicted and fined £l, with /s costs and ordered to report once each week for sis months to the probation officer