PITT STREET FIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1929, Page 6

PITT STREET FIGHT

WATCHED BY TWO HUNDRED

‘DEAD MARINES’’ AS FURNITURE

AUCKLAND, Jan. 19

A crowd of two hundred people watched a fight in l'itt Street as dusk was falling last evening, and some oi them found their neutrality violated. It was very thrilling and amusing for the crowd while it lasted, but it certainly ended disastrously foi the participants, two men and a woman, who filed into the dock at the Police Court this morning before Mr W. It. McKean, S.M. '

With obvious marks of a fray in which Marquis of Queensbury rules were ignored, .Solomon Mundy, a young .Maori and James Daly stooc together, lobking all forlorn, charged with lighting in a public place. Describing the fracas, Sub-1 inspector McCarthy said there was nearly vert serious trouble. Women were mixed u; in the case. Roth Daly and Muncy had been drinking heavily. Daly had been causing a good deal of trouble lately The light started inside e house in Pitt Street, but gradually worked itself outside, and a crowd of 9();> collected, watching and jeering. Dalv was especially to blame. Polbe had been frequently called to the house, and the climax was reached lasi night. Mr McKean: Huh! Daly has had twelve previous convictions. Fine seem to he no deterrent. Daly was lined £2 10s or ten days and Mundy was fined £1 or three days. THE LADY IN THE CASE. Then the lady in the case iippearet Veronica Nelson. 38 years old. Sin was charged with assaulting Anna McMeekin, with assaulting Daisy King and with damaging a dress valued at 19s (id belonging to Daisy King. Neison pleaded guilty to the first assault charge, and also to damaging the dress" but said she didn’t remombei assaulting King. Daisv King went into the box ano .rave a vivid description of the to-do. She said she saw a bilge crowd on tne road, and dew nearer to see what w;u happening Two men were lighting but eventually the Maori carricu tin other inside. Then Veronica Nelson came out and said. ‘.‘Oh, is that you. Daisy King." ••She grabbed me by the scruff oi the neck and tore my dress, and only bought it yesterday afternoon,’ said King. “She was very excited, but 1 could not say whether she was under the influence of drink” NINETEEN DEER DOTTLES. Sub-Inspector McCarthy said that in her excitement Veronica Nelson hat. also smacked Annie McMeekin on tinhack. and pushed her down the street. Nelson had been in court once before. In the room which Nelson occupied, the biggest part of the furniture consisted of beer bottles. There wen about 19 “dead marines.” Mr McCarthy suggested that that had something'to do with Nelson’s condition. Asked if she could pay a line. Nelson said that, she had no money at present, hut that she could got some. She admitted that she luuf been di inking for some time. Mr McKean directed her to take out a prohibition order. She was fined 20s on each assault charge, and nr the charge of damaging the dross she was ordered to make restitution, in default seven days. There were witnesses’ expenses, which amounted to 395, and the payment of the«e was divided between Nelson and Daly.