STREET STRUGGLE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21178, 30 July 1940, Page 4

STREET STRUGGLE

VIOLENCE AGAINST POLICE TWO MEN CONVICTED DISORDERLY WHILE DRUNK Two men found themselves in the Magistrate’s Court today as a result of heavy drinking which led to disorderly behaviour in Victoria Street and a subsequent violent struggle with police officers in an effort to resist arrest. One of the men told Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., that he had no recollection of the affair. The arrest of the men occurred in Victoria Street at about 5.15 o'clock last evening, when the street was very busy. It was stated that the public crowded around as they saw the men resisting the police before being taken away in a taxi. Lewis Haines Arnold, aged 26, farm labourer, of Mokauiti, was charged with behaving in a disorderly manner when drunk and also with resisting the police. Ronald Bartrum Opie, aged 22, farm labourer; of Mokauiti, was charged similarly. A third member of the party, who was charged with being drunk, was a first offender. He was convicted and fined 10s and costs. The other defendants were convicted and fined £2 for disorderly behaviour, while for resisting the police they were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called upon. They were also ordered to take out prohibition orders and pay Is each for the cost of the taxi hired by the police. Tried To Escape Senior-Sergeant G. H. Lambert, who prosecuted, stated that Arnold and Opie had too much liquor. They were going along Victoria Street yelling, shouting and bumping into pedestrians. Arnold had a bicycle and he was endeavouring to ride it on the pavement. When Constables Paton and O’Mahoney tried to arrest the two men, they resisted violently. As Arnold was being placed in a taxi he struggled, broke free, and raced off down Collingwood Street. After another violent struggle he was overcome by the police and placed in a taxi. When Opie saw Arnold escape, he also struggled and broke free, and another violent fight ensued before he was brought back to the waiting taxi, which took the two to the Hamilton Police Station. The seniorsergeant said neither of the men had been in trouble before.