TROUBLE AT DANCE.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 February 1925, Page 4

TROUBLE AT DANCE.

YOUNG MAN FINED £lO. Cl lIIISTCUU lldl, Feb. 1!>. Rule I. Drink not allowed. Rule lI.—No- disturbance ui the ball-room floor. These are the rules which must be observed at the Saturday night dances in the Caledonian Hall, and yesterday Stephen McCarthy, a young man. was lined tit/ for having transgressed against them. He pleaded hot guilty to charges of being disorderly while drunk, and using indecent language. Mr Burns appeared for M’C’arthy. and Sub-Inspector Cameorn prosecuted. Sidney Williams, who was M.C. at the dance, said that about 9.45 he saw there was trouble brewing, so he went out to get a constable. “The dance was a select one, your Worship,” he said, “and we are particular to allow no drink.” i Continuing, the witness said that ' when he got hack to the hall he saw M’Cart by dancing, and lie was drunk. Witness went over to him, and told M’C'arthy to come out to the door. “We do'that.” he explained, “because wo can’t have disturbances on the ballroom floor.” M’C'arthy came to the door and wished to have a wall/, with witness, and invited the constable to act as judge. There was then a hit of trouble, and M’Carthy called witness “u dirty rotten centipede.” .The constable and .M’Carthy then had ' a, struggle, and both 101 l to the footpath. Witness tried to keep the crowd back, while the scuffle was on, but as the constable was on his loot again he ' was tripped up by .McCarthy or some ! one else. In the end M’Carthy was arrested and handcuffed. I The constable, in evidence, said that .M’Carthy was very drunk. In the struggle witness had received several ! kicks! He told M’Carthy to go out, but lie bad refused to do so. 1 Mr Burns, in defence, said that .M’Carthy had not created the disturbance. Williams bad thought apparently that the hall was being turned I into a “rough-house,” and he picked 1 on M’Carthy. as he was the nearest to him. ; Defendant said lie bad ifo drmk i after six o’clock, and be could not. quite I remember how much he bad drunk. At ' i (!.;’.!) be bad tea at a friend’s place, ami •it eight o’clock be went to the dance-, lie was able to conduct himself quite 1 well, and he bad had about, ten dances I before Williams approached him. Me ' went to the door as requested and the constable picked cm him. immediately, iNo explanation was given to him. and j if he bad been told why it was thought ■I he should go away, he would have ■ gone. j The Sub-Inspector: Have you ever I been put out of a dance before?—\ es. | Were you drunk then? Well, they I thought I was not lit to remain, so I I went away. | Percy Gough said Unit MTarlhy was “gay. i lll l passable.” He was certainly not' drunk. He saw the tumble outside the ball, and bad requested the ! crowd to give McCarthy a “fair go" in I his struggle with the policeman. ! Other witnesses said that M'Carl.hy | was sober, and one ol them admitted that be bad bad twelve drinks hinij self. j The Magistrate: “It seems to me high j time that .M’Carthy was put out. He I was drunk, and the dance authorities ; It. was a -.light oil the people there ailed properly in having him put out that none of them helped the constable, who was representing law and order. This was not tb- first time that M’Carthv bad done this sort of thing, mid it had to be stopped. M'Carlbv was lined £•"> for being duel del Iv and to. in default one month's I iipprh eoim-ol , for indecent language. I "I’m. for the fact that this is your lipst, ollence M’Carlliy." said the Magistrate. “You would have been sent ! straight, to gaol.” j isxaiacßi.yJzrav'aa