TOO MUCH FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 February 1942, Page 2

TOO MUCH FIGHTING

» — QUARRELS BETWEEN NATIVES IN STREETS. TWO MAORIS BEFORE COURT. "Recently there has been a considerable amount of fighting and quarreling amongst natives in the street,” said Sen-ior-Sergeant G. A. Doggett in the Masterton Magistrate’s Court this morning, when two Maoris, Charlie Thompson. 31, and Tai Walker, 46, were charged with fighting in Queen Street last night. "There is getting to be too much of it.” Mr L. J. Taylor, J.P., who was on the Bench: "They are getting too much money.” “Yes, they are getting money and getting liquor.” said the Senior-Ser-geant. “Something will have to be done seriously to stop it.” At 7.55 o’clock last night, said SeniorSergeant Doggett, Constable Bell was on duty in Queen Street when the two men came out of a billiard saloon and commenced fighting on the footpath. They were struggling in the gutter. Both were taken into custody. The men were strangers to the district and weie working at Waingawa. Thompson had two previous convictions at Hastings for other offences. After evidence had been given by Constable R. J. Bell, who said both men appeared to have had liquor, Mr Taylor imposed a fine of £5 each. Both men pleaded guilty. They were allowed a fortnight to pay.