POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1908, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

I » ■ J (Before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M.) SUBJECT TO FITS. Benjamin Cave denied absolutely that when he was arrested in town at halfpast two on Saturday, semi-conscious and apparently suffering severely from undue potations, be had any liquor in him whatever to upset his balance. At first he declared that no drink had passed his lips that day, but he modified this to one glass of beer he had with his lunch. The reason of his condition and apparent inebriate state, hs said, was a peculiar indisposition, which subjected him to occasional fits, at which time he became helpless and semi-conscious. Asked why he made an admission of having swallowed several glasses of beer, when charged at the station, Cave exclaimed, "Well, a man in the physical condition in which I was at the time was liable to say anything," a remark which evoked the somewhat cynical retort from the Bench that an old saying ran, "When in wine, a man speaks truth." Cave had several witnesses present, however, who declared to having seen him shortly before the time of the arrest in what they considered to be a perfectly sober , state, and the magistrate accordingly ! decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, with a warning that a prohibition order would be his lot if he were found drinking about the town. INEBRIATE. Arthur Norman Payn appeared for the second time, and was fined 10/-. Edmund George was convicted and • prohibited for twetre months, and John Erwin was remanded for a week. One first offender was convicted and discharged.