WAS HE DRUNK?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 293, 4 September 1908, Page 7

WAS HE DRUNK?

A MAN WITH A"WOODEN"LEG?":. tny TEI.EGEA.rn.—SPECIAL COItrtESPONDENT.I ' Christch'urch,' September.'/3f If a man with a woodcn\leg,;'wko had'becn arrested for insobriety; can 1 jvalk^anfimaginary chalk line without malting '.any errors shortly after his arrival ■at "tho- police-sta-tion, is ho drunk?" was the problem that Mr'. H. W. Bishop; S:M., seven - police,men, Dr. Orchard, and* Mr. Leathern (a soli-'' citor) wero confrontedwith,;at the,\Police Court this morning, when a man named Jack was charged with drunlsmaess. A constable said when he arrested the, man he was drunk. Two sergeants, and .another constable wero also sure tho accused was under the influence of liquor. "''-" ' Mr; Leathern, who appeared for' Jack; said that shortly after lie was arrested he was seen by Dr. Orchard;-and in'the'doctor's presence accused walked a-considerable distance without a stagger, picked up a peico of papor, and' returned it to tho doctor." - "Seeing ho had a wooden leg," added Mr. .leathern,' "anil "went through tho'performance successfully, I dp not think it could b<> said ho was drunk." -

Tho Magistrate: I don't care if ho had two wooden legs. He might be,drank. It ,is said a man is drunk when he can't stand up to take any more liquor. Mr. Loathem: Dr. Orchard will tell you that accused was not,drunk. Tho Magistrate: I do>not-take any-notice of a doctor s evidence in a casb like. this. - He might be able to distinguish hetween-drunk-enness and complaints and diseases, hut an experienced police officer's- opinion as *to .drunkenness is just'a^'Valu'iiMe: Dr. Orchard gave evidence as to tho test applied to the accused. Defendant's ideas were not altogether coherent at.tho.time.. ; 1 Tho Magistrate: Willyougiveus a definition of drunkenness?

Dr. Orchard: A definition has never been decided upon. . The Magistrate:. A man is said to bo drunk when he ceases to be in - his normsil condition. The condition of a drunken man. changes very rapidly, in my opinion" • • .. -• Several policemen who saw Accused at, the police station said lie had been drinking. Tho Magistrate, in tho courso of his judgment, said that of course- the'.'mail' w»6 drunk, and it was absurd -to put forward such a defence as had been made. Ho (the magistrate) never yet heard drunkenness- laid down at any standard. Tho mail had been before him on a previous occasion, and .had received a dressing down, but ■it • had done him 110 good. Ho was not going to send liini to Pakatoa on this occasion,, as..it ,was full at present, hut no doubt accusedwould be back again, aud he would'go"to that institution sooner or later. Accuscd would be fined 40s. and costs. .... .: ~..