SERIOUS AFFRAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2226, 13 January 1921, Page 3

SERIOUS AFFRAY.

BETWEEN POLICE AND SEAMEN. TWO CONSTABLES INJURED. Christchurch, Tuesday. A serious affray between the police and members of the crews of overseas vessels tooly place at Lyttelton last evening.. Constables Baynes and Ilislop arrested a seaman off the Maimoa, which arrived direct from New York on Saturday; for using obscene language. The man resisted, and his mates closed round the police and obstructed them.

A crowd collected, consisting largely of seamen and firemen. The constables were mobbed, and very roughly handled, but not only stuck to their man, but made another nr•rest. At the height of the disturbance, when the two constables were about exhausted, police reinforcements arrived.

As the mob still maintained its attack, a constable slipped across to the police station, and returned with a supply of batons. Thus armed, the police forced their way to the station, beating off several ugly rushes by the free use of their staves. At the station the door was rushed, and another arrest was made.

Stones were thrown, and so alarming was the attitude of the crowd that a threat to read the Riot Act was made. This apparently had an effect, for the crowd broke up arid gradually dispersed. Constables Ilislop and Baynes, ■who so pluckily stuck to their prisoner, were badly knocked about — the latter especially, he having been brutally kicked while on the ground.

.SEVERAL OFFENDERS PUN I SHED.

! Christchurch, Jan. 11. A sequel to the disturbance at Lyttelton on Monday evening took place at the Magistrate’s Court, when five firemen from the steamer Maimoa were charged before Air S. E. McCarthy, S.M., with various offences arising therefrom.

Richard Jones was convicted and sentenced to one months imprisonment on a charge of using obscene language, and was convicted and discharged on a charge of resisting arrest, and ordered to pay expenses. George Henry .Crowe was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for obstructing a constable, and was convicted on a charge of using

obscene language. James Hartley was lined .610 for using obscene language, in default one month's imprisonment ) and Albert Beardsley and John Philhin were each lined £lO for inching lawlessness, in default one month s imprisonment.