GOING UP

NZ Truth, Issue 1149, 8 December 1927, Page 7

GOING UP

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Rep.) Because four Chinese youths last Guy Fawkes night joined m the celebrations and let off some

sky rockets near the band rotunda m Oriental Bay, Wellington, the

police saw fit to bring a prose-

cution m the lower Court. rYWELLERS m the district where the Chinese set off their fireworks rang up the police who soon made an appearance at the scene of the disturbance. It would have been sufficient to have warned the youths that they were disturbing the neighborhood, sent them on their homeward way, and there let the matter drop. But the unexploded fireworks were promptly confiscated and prosecution . followed. When the matter came before Magistrate Page, Lawyer Luke who appeared for the Chinese, said defendants were having a display of their own. There was no traffic. ' about — pedestrian or otherwise.

They had been engaged m the shop all day and were not aware they were committing any offence. If there was an offence lt was a very technical one. Fireworks were set off all over the countryside on this particular night, m public places, on reserves and m private sections. The children were allowed latitude and the Chinese m this instance must surely be classified as such.

With this, Magistrate Page agreed, and stated that defendants had done what they did m ignorance. A certain amount of latitude was extended "on this night and the Chinese "were Celebrating like the children.

He ordered that the unexploded fireworks ."be returned to them and" also that they pay the costs ot th© prosecution amounting to £2 m all. -