MINE HOST'S MAXIM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 309, 29 December 1915, Page 7

MINE HOST'S MAXIM.

11 ... ■ —■ ■ » PUBLICAN AND PUGILISTIC ANZAC. LONDON, November 5. "Single men in barracks don't grow into plaster 6aints/' said Kipling's soldier in "Tommy Atkins," and sometimes when out of barracks their conduct is the reverse of saintly. £am pleased to say from personal observation in the streets of London, that it is not often one 6ees "Anzaos" in the grip ef Bacchus, or "making themselves remarkable" in any way. Occasionally, however, individuals do make asses of themselves, and find thcssselves in the hands of the police. Usually, I believe, the men In blue are very tender with them,' and more often than not no charge is preferred against the sinners, provided they have not resorted to violence when in their cups. The other day a member of the "Anzacs" got into trouble at Kingston. There is no need to mention liis name. He was a private; a mere youth who had "done his bit" in the Dardanelles fighting, being put out of action by shrapnel wounds in the head and legs. In the course of his peregrinations round Kingston he had, it appears, slaked his thirst more than once ere reaching the Maiden Tavern. Entering he demanded drink, but mine host, Mr. Herbert Nichols, considered that he had quite as much alcoholic cargo aboard as he could carry, so said to the soldier "Sonny, you don't want any more drink; better go home." The Ansae's retort took the form of a punch ji the eye, and smarting under this discourteous rejoinder of hie good advice the landlord gave the soldier into custody. When, however, the case came up at the Kingston Court, Mr. Nichols explained that he did not wish to press the charge against the accused, "as he was in khaki." When asked by the chairman of the bench what he had to say for himself, accused expressed contrition, and explained that he still' had some fragments of shrapnel in the head, and any drink he took always flew to his head. He very seldom touched alcohol. The Chairman (Lieut.-Colonel Turner): Ii 70U apologise to the licensee and say yon are sorry for what you have done, we may discharge you. The Australian expressed his readiness to apologise, and was discharged. The licensee shook the soldier warmly by the hand, ramarking: ,ir When drink makes you forget you are a gentleman, give up the drink:"' Which is very good advice indeed.