A Queen Street Incident (Evening Post, 3 October 1925)

On 2 October 1925, an incident in Auckland involving a young man masquerading as a woman led to a court appearance. The event unfolded on the evening of 13 September when Constable Needham was patrolling Queen Street and received a complaint regarding a man dressed in female clothing. During his patrol, Needham encountered K. J. Dell, who was notably dressed in feminine attire, complete with women's shoes, a hat, a veil, and a neck scarf. The situation escalated as Dell was reportedly attempting to disrobe when the constable first spotted him. During his questioning, Dell expressed confusion over the constable's authority, questioning whether Needham was in plain clothes at the time. Dell mentioned that he had plans to meet a gentleman at the Strand Theatre that evening, which led him to wear the woman's attire. The conversation included light-hearted banter as Dell attempted to explain his choice of clothing, stating he had to make adjustments to his outfit. The charge against Dell was for behaving in a disorderly manner. As the proceedings began, the magistrate, Mr. Poynton, decided to adjourn the hearing of the charge until the following morning, allowing family and friends to prepare for the next steps in the case. This peculiar case of cross-dressing in public stirred intrigue in the community, highlighting the social attitudes of the time towards gender expression and public decorum. The follow-up on the case was expected to shed more light on the circumstances surrounding Dell's actions and the nature of the charges against him.

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kenneth dell