Police hit Masterton party house

NUISANCE: Police, firefighters and council contractors were called to this property in Churchill Ave repeatedly, after complaints from neighbours about noise, bad behaviour and fires.

A gathering at what police describe as a well-known "party house" over the weekend ended with two arrests, an alleged assault on a taxi driver, two bonfires being extinguished and two confiscated stereos.

Police, firefighters and Masterton District Council contractors were called to a property on Churchill Ave several times on Saturday night, after neighbours made repeated complaints about noise, "disorderly behaviour" and bonfire smoke.

Masterton police sergeant Simon Irving said the property is well-known to police - as neighbours have been making "consistent complaints" about young people holding parties over several months.

He said neighbours had mostly complained about noise from the property, and "anti-social driving behaviour" - such as young men known to the tenants doing "wheelies" in the street.

"These guys' neighbours are really pissed off," said Mr Irving.

"We got complaints from neighbours, and from people down the street - they're pretty angry.

"We've been to the house before for general disturbances, but this is the worst its been."

When the Times-Age visited the street at about 2.30pm yesterday, the property's front yard was strewn with empty beer cans, bottles and broken glass.

Mr Irving said police received the first calls about 10pm relating to a "large gathering of young people" .

At 10.45pm, Masterton Fire Station received reports of a bonfire in the backyard of the house.

A crew went to the property and put the fire out with police help - only to be called back to the house at 11.30pm when a second bonfire had been started.

Mr Irving said there were "well over 100 people" on the property at the time, most in their late teens.

"We suspect a lot of them were gate-crashers.

"It looked like one of the parties where everyone finds out about it on Facebook, and just rocks up."

At 12.40am, after complaints were made to Noise Control at Masterton District Council, Armourguard staff arrived at the house and seized the stereo system.

About the same time, said Mr Irving, fighting broke out between two Masterton men, aged 17 and 18, who were arrested and taken into custody overnight.

Mr Irving said both were patched gang members, and they will appear in Masterton District Court this week.

The police "shut the party down" - but, at 2.30am, Armourguard and police were called back to the house and seized a second stereo.

"Even after the party had been shut down, there were still at least 50 people at the address," said Mr Irving.

"Luckily, we managed to get the stereo off them without any problems."

Finally, at 5.35am, police received a call from Wairarapa Hospital, telling them a taxi driver had been assaulted outside the property.

Mr Irving said the driver was collecting one of the partygoers at around 1am, who attempted to negotiate a fare price.

"When the driver refused to take him, he was punched in the back of the head."

Police had spoken with the taxi driver, but he was unable to provide a detailed description of his assailant.

Mr Irving said the young tenants of the property will shortly be moving out, and their landlord is "well aware" of their behaviour.