OBSCENE LANGUAGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5002, 19 July 1926, Page 2

OBSCENE LANGUAGE.

WELL-KNOWN MAORI CONVICTED.

TROUBLE THROUGH DRINK.

At the Paeroa Police Court this morning, before Messrs W. Marshall and B. Gwilliam, J’s,P., Frederick Ngawiki. licensed interpreter, Paeroa, was charged with drunkenness, in the main street on Saturday. A second charge of obscene language was also, preferred against him. A plea of, guilty was entered in the first charge and not guilty on the second. Accused elected to be dealt with summarily.

For drunkenness accused was conviced and discharged.

Giving evidence on the obscene language charge Constable J. McClinchy said that accused had been drinking about the town on Saturday mbriiing. During the afternoon witness saw accused in one hotel, and seeing him drunk he ordered the btfoman not to serve him. Accused had some Court paper in his possession which had been given him for the purpose of interpreting. Witness said that he took charge of these, and when he turned his back the words complaine'd of, he believed, were used to him. When he questioned accused the teply was that the word;-, were use'd to the barman. To save further trouble he arrested accused and took him a.long to the lock-up.

A list of previous convictions was handed to the Bench.

In defence of the charge Ngawiki said that he had been- drinking, otherwise he would not have got into trouble. He said he wias very ashamed of his conduct, and was prepared to give a promise hot to get into trouble agani, and would willingly take out a prohibition order. The Bench said that the language was filthy, and would not be tolerated. In view of the accused expressing his willingness to reform he would be given a final opportunity. A conviction was entered, and accused was fined £5, in addition to the granting of a prohibition order. YOUNG MAN IN TROUBLE.

A charge of using obscene language in, Willoughby Street, Paeroa, on Saturday night was preferred against a young man named Christopher Johansen. Accused pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with by the Justices. Constable McClinchy sajd that accused had been drinking through the day. About 8 o’clock in the evening accused, with some companions, visited a, residence in Willoughby -Street, A disturbance took place, to the annoyance of the nearby residents, one of whom was an invalid. It was during the disturbance that the language complained of had been used. There had been a previous conviction against accused for drunkenness. In making an application to have accused prohibited, Constable McClinchy said that he had known accused for about 12 months'. He was a siiigle man and had no friends in Paeroa. He was a steady worker, but since the hotels opened in the district he had been drinking heavily. Witness said that he would be sorry to see accused go 'to gaol through drink, a,nd it was with the idea of helping him that an order was applied for.

At this stage accused said that he would prefer to take: out the order himself. He was working at the local quarry, but had been Off for a few days owing to a breakdown. Drink was, his trouble, and he had no recollection of having used the language. The Bench said that bad language was becoming 'far too common in public places, and it would have to be checked. Accused would be given a chance provided he immediately prohibited himself. A conviction was entered, and accused was fined £2.