DRUNKEN BRAWL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 552, 3 January 1929, Page 13

DRUNKEN BRAWL

FRACAS IN WELLINGTON r STREET SMASHES IN POLICE CELL I’rcas Association WELLIXCTOX,. To-day. following a disgraceful fracas, which rl j~inated in the drunken condition of , om e of the participants, Matthew gabich. restaurant keeper, aged 63, Stephen Bresuneliu, chef, aged 33, John Thorpe labourer, aged 57, and \nnio Maria. Babich were to-day charged with fighting in a public place. The affair took place at the corner of Cuba, and Gliuznce Streets on Boxins evening. for Thorpe it was stated that he „■*» not one of the party, but found mi self being belaboured. As he was -ober and one-armed the magistrate iobk the view that it was not likely that he attacked the people, and gave mm the benefit of the doubt, dismissiitg the charge against him. Matthew Babich was further charged ~ ith committing mischief by damaging police cell utensils valued at 11s 6d, and an electric light globe valued at 4s 6d. Bresnaella with damaging a cell utensil and Mrs. Babich with disorderly behaviour while drunk. The police evidence showed that there had been a scene when the i.rrests were made, and after being placed in the cells, the two men started throwing utensils around. They were each fined £2 or 14 days for fighting s nd £1 for mischief, and ordered to make good the damage, in default 14 a nd ten da>s respectively. Mrs. Babich was. fined £2 or 14 days for behaving in a disorderly manner while drunk. The charge of fighting vas withdrawn. The magistrate regarded Bresanella „nd Mrs. Babich as responsible for the occurrence. The manner in which thfv behaved at the police station, he said, proved tlicv wot-p dia in 1: