“R-R-R-RASPBERRY!”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 917, 10 March 1930, Page 1

“R-R-R-RASPBERRY!”

YOUTH’S OUTBURST AT CITY THEATRE THROWN OUT AND FINED What is a raspberry? According to both police and counsel at the Police Court this morning it is a decidedly objectionable sound accompanied by a pursing of the lips. An outburst of “raspberries” at a City picture theatre on Saturday night resulted in the ejection of Leslie Collin Buchan and his appearance at the Police Court this morning, where he was fined a total of £2. Buchan, a storeman, aged IS, was charged with committing mischief by wilfully damaging a glass door valued at £1 10s; behaving in a disorderly manner, and assaulting Clement Oswald Young. Mr. Hart appeared for accused and entered pleas of not guilty on all counts. “He was making a noise that is usually termed a raspberry,” stated Mr. Young, an employee at the- theatre, when giving evidence. Accused had been sitting in a section of the theatre where larrikins always congregated. When witness had remonstrated with accused he had started arguing at the top of his voice, and witness and a fellow employee had had to put him out. Buchan had struck witness twice, and in the scuffle the glass door was broken. Buch /:i had refused to go quietly, and witness thought it better to take prompt action as he was frightened that there would be trouble with the larrikin element. There had been trouble before, and patrons had complained. Sub-Inspector McCarthy: This raspberry is the making of a rather unpleasant noise with the lips? Witness: Yes. Corroborative evidence was given by a fellow employee of Young. Accused was put in the box by Mr. Hart. His wages were £2 a week, he said. Mr. Hart asked witness whether he was well known, having been captain of a football team at one time, hence the raspberries by other youths in the theatre. The magistraje suggested that counsel change places with accused as he appeared to be giving the evidence. Mr. Hart: I was just going on until X was stopped. Accused stated that the blow be had struck Young was an accident. He would have left the theatre quietly, but had not been given a chance. Ho was thrown to the ground while protesting that he had not been making a noise. Buchan’s mother was called by Mr. Hart and gave her son an excellent character. He did not smoke nor drink and gave her all his wages. “When he was told to go he should have done so,” Mr. Hunt remarked. Buchan was fined £1 for the assault and a similar penalty was imposed for disorderly behaviour. The charge of committing mischief was dismissed. There were witnesses’ expenses of £l. “He can work for a week and a-half for nothing,” the magistrate added.