DRUNKEN YOUTHS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14985, 4 June 1914, Page 4

DRUNKEN YOUTHS.

CASES AT THE POUCE COURT.

At tho Polico Court yesterday morning, Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., fined James Keagh and Margaret Mcl__rmott, second offenders for drunkenness, 10s each, in default 48 hours' in> prisorimeni, and four first offenders for drunkenness departed with tho u_*ual fine of fivo shillings. One of tuo "arunit-'- was a mere boy. . • lho Magistrate: How old aro you? Accused: Twenty-one. "The Magistrate: iou are very foolish. Tms sbrt of tiling clings to you all your lite. Accused': It's my first offence. Tne -dagi-trate: Aud iYhopo it will be the last. . Locked up for drunkenness—it's disgraceful. Tho next offender was even more youth. uL The Magistrate: How old are you?—Eighteen. .- You're worse than the other one—a mere scrap of a boy locked up for drunken ne_s_ Where were you drinking?—ln an hotel. I had, two cobbers with mc. Most astounding thing! Have you over been drunk before?—No I What liquor did you take?— Rum. Gracious mc! Bo you have rum afe home?--No. Are yon in the habit of taking liquor at all?—No! What's your occupation ?— Ordinary seaman ou the Wahiue. • It's a --hocking thing t " . *

Sub-Inspector McKinndn explained that there were three youths in tne caso. They all got drunk tho previous afternoon, and took a motor-car to Sydenham. Tho Magistrate: How in the name of fortune did they get the liquor? The Sub-Inspector: fcoinothiug more will be heard of it.

' The Magistrate: I hopo so. Nothing is more disgraceful in connexion witti public-house conduct than supplying youths liko theso with liquor. Fined five shillings. The second boy in the Sydenham episode was nineteen years of age. Tho Magistrate: You were with" this other lad?— Yes.

What I said to him applies equally to you. What's your occupation?— General labourer.

Are you in tho habit of taking liquor?—Xo; but I seemed to bo all right myself. I only had three glasses of shandy.

Too mucli for a lad like you. If there's any excuse on tho part of ffdults. it doesn't apply to you—not that I consider there's any excuse for this drunkenness, but some people do. The name of the third offender was Joseph Edward Beckett In addition to the charge of drunkenness, ho was charged with having used indecent language.

Accused: WoH, I don't know if I used tho language. I was offended by all the children shoving mc about. The Magistrate: When did you first take to liquor?—-About a year ago, over at the Bnys. And have you been taking it ever since?— No.

What do you do?—I am on the milk cart.

YDo you ever go to church?— Yes. What church?—The Church of Christ. The Church of Christ, indoed! A_nd you use language liko this.

Sergeant Jackson said the boy's parents were respectable people. The Magistrate: Yes, but whore does ho hear language of this sort? Sergeant Jackson stated that tbe affair occurred at _ p.m. on Tuesday. The children coming home from school gathered round tho drunken youths in -Sydenham Park, and even * followed then, to the polico station. The Magistrate: "Were they very drunk? J

Tho Sergeant: Terribly drunk. One of them had to bo carried.

Accused: Excuse mc, but I was only tire J. I usually go to sleep in the afternoon.

1 The Magistrate: Asleep, indeed—and a boy of eighteen. If you ever come' before mc again I'll doal with' yon in a very different way—put you under control until you are twenty-oue. I'm not goin<r to allow this sort of thing. Somebody is to blame for it. Accused was fined os for drunkenness, in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment, and for using obscene language he was fined 20s, in default one month's imprisonment.