R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2184, 2 January 1886, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

MASTERTON—THIS DAT.

Before H. A. Stratford. R.M. James Curtis and. Edward; Brown pleaded not guilty in answer to a charge Of "disorderly conduct, QR the night of Thursday December *''Sl?t, fn : the public street. Thomas'- Millton, ' Constable; stationed at Wellington, now. on duty in Mastertpn, deposed that on .' Thursday flight about half past 11 o'clock he the two prisoners with about 40 others, "W as' -rl>e "gang refuged to disperse, he with the assistance of other constables arrested the accused. They were both under the influence of drink; but he should nob have them for drunkenness had it been ffnacp, companied with disorderly @ORd«ct*Tiijj arrests had the effect of crowd. , „ "" he saw the prisoner Curtis "thro w away a kerosene tin.. They were.both under the influence of drink. . ' u ''S.e?geajit Price corroborated the eyidence'of the prevjo'jos xa|neg|, jilting that the language, used bud disagreeable, an,d the noise hideous. * He waspositive both prisoners op going up the street had Ijero'gene tins beating. On arresting Brown he rggigtei very JJIUCh, until ai.other constable ganje-to his aid. Constable John Cullinane deposed that he saw the prisonersat the time in question. They were at the head of a mob of between 40 and 50. They were under the influence of drink, and kicking up .a great, row. Constable John Cullinane gave similar evidence. ' He sa|d pkere were 20 or 25 'men with horns and'nns, a6d a niob of 40 or 50 persons surrounding them. ' Seargant Price said that the mob had been to " tin-kettle" at Mr Neill's, andhad destroyed his garden and fowl house, doing damage to the amount of about L3G.

*ln to the charge Curtis said he was flniy ori6 of thV crp'wcj f.ollqwing. He had had' a few- (|rihk§. but was cartainly not drunk. ■ _ JBrpwn said l}e never had a kerosene tin in his hijijg, did he gse had language. ■ ~ His Worship said, he always looked upon marching through the street* band playing, etc., on New Year's Eve, even if extravagant, as being seasonable, if not carried too far. The Sergeant had acted perfectly right in arresting the prisoners. He should take the season ifito consideration and inflict a penalty of 20s each, or 24 hours' imprisonment.