BAD LANGUAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1923, Page 2

BAD LANGUAGE

A SALUTARY' SENTENCE. A strongly-built man, of middle age, bearing the name of Alfred Kirk, appeared before Aiessrs I’. H. Kilgour and A. Naylor, J.’s P-, at the Aiagistrate’s Court this morning, charged

with drunkenness and obscene language at Blackball yesterday. The accused pleaded guilty to both charges. Outlining the case, Senior Sergeant McCarthy said that the man was in a wretched state of drunkenness and the language he used, which was certainly of a lurid character, was uttered in the presence of women and children. Constable Garden, who arrested Kirk, said that the man used the language in the main street of Blackball in the presence of women and children. A number of women were doing their shopping. Michael Gerraghty, J. 1., styekeeper, corroborated the constable s evidence. Asked if the man had used the language detailed in the charge sheet, witness said “Yes—only, worse . It was absolutely disgusting!’

“Do you wish to say anything, accused was asked by the bench. “No!” replied Kirk. • “Has he been convicted before; asked Air Kilgour. “He has, a good many times I answered the Senior-Sergeant. At Westport, he continued, on December 19, 1916, Kirk was convicted for drunkenness and sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment for obscene language; he was also fined £3 at. Westport for assault on August 8, 1919 ; he has fined 5/- for drunkenness and £4 for assault at Westport on January 30, 1920 ; at Christchurch on Alay 2, 1921, he was lined, in default one month’s imprisonment; at Greymouth on a later date he was fined 10/ for drunkenness and subsequently ho was sentenced <it Cliristcliurcli Lo one month’s imprisonment for assault. “A pretty bad record!” remarked Air Kilgour. “Have you anything to say?” he asked, addressing accused. “No Sir, I haven’t!” replied Kirk, doggedly. Air Kilgour said that the Bench had taken into consideration accused’s record, which was by no means savoury. The language used at Blackball in. the presence of women and children, was most disgraceful. The Bench had no option but to sentence accused to three months’ imprisonment. He would be convicted and discharged on the count of drunkenness.