VIOLENT DRUNK

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1930, Page 5

VIOLENT DRUNK

STRUGGLE WITH POLICE. Rules of the wrestling and boxing rings mean nothing to middle-aged g John William Gray, and the encount- . er he had with the police at Greymouth yesterday was a lively little set-to. He got the worst of it. A chastened Gray appeared before JMr W. Meldrum, S.M., to-day and was charged with (1) drunkenness, and (2) wilfully damaging a cell utensil valued at 9/-, the property of the New Zealand Government, thereby committing mischief. Senior-Sergeant C. E. Roach stated that, after being searched following his arrest for drunkenness, the pris- - oner was placed in a cell, and a gali vanised iron can was provided for his ' use. He took it and smashed it : against the wall several time, denting it and making holes in it. The > can was practically new. The S.M.: Was he bailed out?—No. Any money?—Two shillings and eightpence. Any work to go to? Gray replied that he thought he could get work at Hokitika. He added that he did not intend to break the can; he just wanted to “shake them up” and get a drink of water. The Senior-Sergeant stated that Gray was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment after being arrested at Hokitika as a rogue and vagrant. He came out of gaol yesterday, and got drunk on the 2/6 allowance he received when discharged. “He w r as violent when brought in,” said the 1 Senior-Sergeant. “He scratched the < constables and started to kick with < his boots. They took his boots off. i and he then started smashing the can f about in the cell.” ( The S.M. said he would give Gray < a chance, as he did not want to send c him back to gaol after he had just f served three months. He would be c convicted and discharged for drunk- y enness, and on the charge of mis- t chief would be convicted and ordered v to pay 9/-. . Fourteen days would be f allowed for payment. “You will have a to get to work, and pay,” said Mr Mel- u drum. “If you come before me again for being idle and disorderly, you will be sent back to gaol for another three months.” ,