Out-of-control parties, fights herald O Week

Waikato University's O Week is in full gear as emergency services are kept busy with parties that spiral out of control and booze-fuelled fights.

Police and St John Ambulance were tied up with several drunken fights and assaults over the weekend, despite the orientation week not officially kicking off until yesterday.

Hamilton's CBD was also busier than usual last night, though no major trouble was reported.

Inspector Rob Lindsay said between 10pm Saturday and 7am Sunday his staff attended 51 disorder incidents, most involving intoxicated young people fighting.

"The common themes appear to be a lethal combination of youth and alcohol, with police being called several times to a property in Hamilton East besieged by gatecrashers," he said.

`We're very, very disappointed with what's happened over the weekend."

Second-year management student Yousef AL. Khalifah, 24, who lives in the notorious student party street May St, said there were a few parties over the weekend but he expected more this week.

His neighbours, also students, had one last week which ended badly, with Mr AL. Khalifah's flat entered and his X-box and another flatmate's laptop stolen.

An elderly Cook St resident told the Times she thought O Week was quieter this year.

In the past drunken students had ruined her beautifully maintained garden, ripping out shrubs. They'd also destroyed her letterbox.

Waikato Student president Deni Tokunai said he was yet to receive any complaints about student behaviour.

However, he said there was little he could do to control students once they left campus.

"But they should keep in mind the benefit of the social good and the community and not be as damaging as they could be. The police have better things to do than addressing students doing stupid things."

St John Ambulance Waikato Operations manager Mark Taylor said staff attended four alcohol-related assaults on the weekend. In one a male was hit in the head by a golf club and kicked.

Another man was kicked in the head after falling down drunk in the CBD.

- © Fairfax NZ News