PROHIBITION ORDER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 10094, 5 September 1925, Page 2

PROHIBITION ORDER

EXCESSIVE DRINKING ALLEGED.

That ho was wasting his estate, injuring his health, and interrupting the peace and happiness of his home by excessive drinking was the complaint made by the police, who sought the issue of ' a prohibition order against Reginald Bernard Hill before Mr. Ei C. Levve.y, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. , , .■ 'Scrgt. Dempsey said that ho had known Mr. Mill since 1920, and in the last few months lie had been drinking to excess, with the result that his physical condition had changed and ivas deteriorating. In the "last three months ho had several times seen Mr. Hill in a badly intoxicated state, and as recently as last Saturday evening had had to have him taken home in a taxi from the Masonic Hotel. To Mr. Hill: Ho knew nothing of his private affairs; it was only public appearance that he could speak of. Detective McLeod, in giving, corroborative evidence, stated that lie had known Mr. Hill for many years and ■found him sober and respectable, but in tho last few months he htd drank to excess at times. Senior-Sergt. Fitzpatrick corroborated the evidence of the other police officers. He had issued the information last week, and Air. Hill called on him and admitted that he had been overstepping the mark, and promised to reassert himself if the. police would give him another chance without applying. for an order. Witness laid pivenTlnm that chance, but threatened on the first breach to put the order into execution. When he found that Mr. Hill had broken, out again, he called on him at his office and found him in a drunken condition. His wife was suffering from illness. In opposing the order, Mr. Hill submitted that he had no case to answer. What did the evidence prove? Merely that lie had possibly on occasions drank to excess. It had to he proved that he had lnis-spcnt, wasted or lessened his estate, and there was no testimony that he had done so. In fact no one knew his estate. The Act said that itfffiid to be shown that excessive drinking bv a person was injuring bis health, and in that respect he was not a physical wreck ; lie was as sound as a bell, so that there was not a tittle of evidence on this point. There was no evidence that he had interrupted the peace and happiness of Ins home, and on the testimony adduced he submitted that there, was no jurisdiction of His Worship to make such an order. ... The Sen ior-Sergt. said that the evidence of the police was pinned to the letter of the Act; it had been proved that he was mis-spending Ids money and that .he was affecting his health and home life. *d)n the evidence before me, ’ remarked the Magistrate, “it is clear that Mr. Hill is injuring Ins; health and on that point alone I will insure •in order.” Mr. Hill: I< would like Your Worship to fix security for costs for a pineal. The Magistrate: £l6 10s.