TO THE RESCUE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 527, 3 December 1928, Page 13

TO THE RESCUE

SAILOR ATTACKS CONSTABLE NOT TO COME ASHORE Incensed at the temerity of a constable who sought to arrest one of his comrades, Lawrence William Barnett, of H.M.S. Diomede, rushed to the rescue last evening. Barnett, a first-class stoker, aged 22, pleaded guilty at the Police Court this morning to assaulting Constable Archibald in the execution of his duty. According to Sub - Inspector McCarthy, Barnett had come to the rescue of a mate who was being arrested for making a disturbance. Both men were drunk, and, though the police did not arrest naval men unless it was absolutely necessary, the constable had no option in this instance. It was a serious offence and might lead to grave trouble with the naval authorities. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.: Was the constable hurt? Mr. McCarthy-: He might have been had it not been for the intervention of a young man whose action in coming to the constable’s assistance I should like to commend. Commissioned-Gunner Pryce, who watched the proceedings on behalf of the ship, assured the magistrate that Barnett would be kept on the ship and would receive adequate punishment. Barnett was lined £2.

WAVED HIS ARMS ABOUT

Mark Charles Moss, the comrade whom Barnett had attempted to rescue, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in Queen Street. Moss, a first-class stoker, aged 23, was said by Sub-Inspector McCarthy to have been behaving in the ordinary manner of drunken men. He was waving his arms about and drawing a crowd. Moss was fined £1 and the magistrate asked that he also be kept aboard the ship. Commissioned-Gunner Pryce was given permission to take the men away immediately as the ship was on the point of sailing.