MERELY HOP BEER

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 142, 19 June 1922, Page 8

MERELY HOP BEER

MAN BESENTS CHARGE Off

DRUNKENNESS.

"When a sergeant says a man's .drunk, well he's drunk." Thus Mr. P. W. Jackson at.the Magistrate's Court to-day when appearing on behalf of a man named Louis Gestro-, who pleaded not guilty to charges of drunkenness and breaking the terms of his prohibition ortjer.

Police evidence was given by two sergeants and «-•• constable to the effect that the accused had called at the Central "police station on Friday evening last, and started to mutter something about children and blankets, but as the police could make nothing out of these statements, and as Gestro was in a staggering ■condition, it was decided to lock him up.

Mr. . Jackson (to Sergeant Whiteliouse) : "Didn't Gestro say that all the .drink he had had that day was two hop beers?" The answer was drowned by laughter.) ■ . .

Mr. Jackson eaid thaf Gestro'* story was that he had been shifting to a room at Karori, and had had some difficulty with his late landlady over his blankets. 'Gestro had interviewed Constable Wallace at Lyall Bay, and had been told to see the constable at 3 o'clock on the Friday afternoon. He rang up from town at 3.25 o'clock, but Constable Wallace was then out.' Accordingly the accused paid a visit to the Central Station to make a complaint. "Once a prohibition order is issued against a man he is looked upon as a chronic drinker," added Mr. Jackson.

Gestro, in the dock, said that the policemen at the Central Station merely "giggled at him" when he went to make a complaint, and one said : "Bump him in." He appealed to Sub-Inspector M'Namai'ii,- but this also proved fruitless. Ho had had two glares of hop beer during the afternoon.

Mr.F. K. Hant. S.M. : "Oh. I know this man. The residents of Ncjaio offered to subscribe to keen his children so that he could leave the district. I'll give liim one more chance, but it will bo his last. He's fined 10s on each charge."