DRUNKENNESS' IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 120, 23 May 1887, Page 5

DRUNKENNESS' IN AUCKLAND.

With the last year's crime statistics (which showed a marked decrease of arrests for "drunkenness) fresh in their memory people were beginning to lay the Mattering unction to their souls that the exertions of tJ&. t.tal lecturers and Temperance Licensing Committees had borne good fruit in the matter of diminishing the horrible vice in our midst. Recent cause lists at the Police Court, and especially that presented by the police this morning, show that theso self congratulations were too hasty. On the list appears fche names of fourteen persons charged with drunkenness, a proportion of the arrests being made yesterday. The number of cases suggests that Sunday .trading is rife and also fliafcdt is a prevalent practice amongst publicans to supply drunken men with liquor. On the latter aspect of the matter, Mr Joseph Newman, Chairman of the Bench, mado some caustic remarks this morning. These remarke were occasioned by the 'case of a youngman who, though arrested on Saturday evening was considerably the worse for liquor. Mr Newman remanded the prisoner for three days, and then stated that the man had apparently been supplied with a very large quantity of liquor after he had become intoxicated. There was penalty under the Licensing Acb for supplying drunken , men with liquor, and publicans were , mors to blame than the poor fellows .brought to the Court and fined ss. It was a crying shame that the real transgressors were not) brought to book as well as these poor drunkards. The poverty wrought by drunkenness was terrible. He had in his possession a list of 29 prisoners discharged from Mount Eden last month. All the money these persons had between them when they went in was elevenpence—not -a half-penny each. He hoped the police would take 'steps to remedy this stato of things, which was largely due to the publican supplying drir.k to, men already in liquor. Sergeant Pratt, in reply to the remark of Mr Newman, said that there were over 50 hotels in the city, and the three or four constables on the. beat could not possibly, while attending to their o. her duties, ascertain where every drunkard got drunk. The police could., not spend their time standing at the doors of public? houses and looking in. Mr Newman: If there are too many publichouses , for tho ' polic to supervise, ifc is your duty, Sergeant Pratt, when reporting to tho Licensing Committee next month to recommend that some of the houses, bo closed.. The sergeant reraa_rkod_..that tha Licensing Committee could take"noticcof that themselves, and the matter dropped.

The Devonport Naval Artillery are warned to muster to-morrow morning, at Government House Grounds/at 9 o'clock sharp.

Ask your Grocer or milkman for Freez ing Company's "Shell" brand butter in half-pound pats. ... ,-■;-