Contradictory Evidence.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 203, 3 September 1901, Page 4

Contradictory Evidence.

A CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS. j Times Wairoa Correspondent.] At a sitting of the Justices’ Court held on the 2,Sth August, Messrs J. W. Sargisson and G. Britnell, .7. P.'s being on the Bench, the following case was heard : A. Poyzer v. Christopher Eerneil, on a charge of drunkenness. Defendant pleaded not guilty. A. Poyzer deposed : I am a publican residing at Wairoa. Defendant was in my employ as cook. On Sunday I charged him with being drunk. Ho went away on Sunday morning, returning at night the worse for liquor. I reported the matter to the police between 8 and 9 p.m. I gave him one pint of beer between 10 and 11. a.m., which is an allowance I give him each day. lie had no more in tho house to my knowledge. He might have had beer in his room, but I do not know. He was decidedly the worse of liquor, but I could not swear whether ho was capable of doing his work or not.

By defendant: Bid von not servo mo with beer on Saturday night ? Witness : Am not positive, but I saw my son serving you with a bottio of beer. Daniel Clifford deposed: I remember seeing accuse lon Sunday between 6 and 7. sitting on Poyzcr's doorstep, and to my knowledge ho was the worse of liquor. I knew he was drunk because ha could not walk straight when coming down the road. I could not say whether he was capable of looking after himself or not. Defendant deposed : I was engaged as cook at .Mr Poyzcr’s on the Saturday night. I bad several drinks. On going to bed [ purchased two bottles of beer from Mr Poyzcr’s bar. On Sunday morning I bad two pints at the bar, and paid for them; had no drink after then. I left the hotel, and bad a walk up and down the street after dinner, and was perfectly sober when I returned again in the evening. Any signs I had of drink must have been from the effects of what I had on Saturday night, and the two drinks I had Sunday morning. Walter Davis, insurance agent, deposed: I saw’ defendant at three o'clock on Sunday afternoon, sitting down in Hewitt’s hotel, and as far as I could judge the man was perfectly sober. Feter Jowson, tailor, stated : I saw the defendant between 3 and 4 on Saturday afternoon, and he was perfectly sober then.

T. Hewitt, hotelkeeper, Wairoa, deposed : I know the defendant. He was in my hotel on Sunday afternoon, and was then sober. Ho left and came back about 8 o’clock, and asked for a bed, stating that he had left Mr Poyzer’s. I showed him to his room, and from appearances the man was then perfectly sober. The case was dismissed.