LONG DRINKING BOUT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19231, 21 January 1926, Page 12

LONG DRINKING BOUT.

WOMAN BEFORE THE COURT. SAD CASE AT CHRISTCHURCH. {BX TSLEORAPff.-—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHRISTCHUBCH, Wednesday. With a one-time prosperous business Jruined and her only child taken from her by the State, Louisa Beale, aged 23, appeared to be a broken woman when she appeared in the Police Court to-day to answer 12 charges laid against her as the result of a drinking bout, which began at the end of last year. She pleaded guilty to five charges of being on licensed premises during the currency of a prohibition order, three charges of sending her daughter, a person under the age of 21, to procure liquor, three charges of procuring liquor, and one cf being found drunk. Sub-Inspector Mit how said Mrs. Beale and her eight-year-old daughter stayed at the Excelsior Hotel from' December 29 until January 2. Mrs. Beale stayed in bed all that time drinking, and sent her daughter to the Wellington Hotel to procure gin. She registered at the hotel under a fictitious name. On January 12 she went to Tattersall's Hotel, whern she again used a fictitious name.

Mr. Batchelor, who appeared for the accused, said this was only the third time she had been before the Court. None of her previous offences were criminal, and all had been connected with drinking. It was only during' the last three months that liquor had taken such a hold of her. Sho was a keen, hard-working woman, and had kept a pie shop in the city for some time. She began baking at 4 a.m. and did not go to bed until late at .night. Sho had ruined an exceptionally good business through her drinking, and 'her child had been, taken from her by jthe authorities. The real criminals in the caso wore the people who brought liquor 'into the shop. 15he was 'prepared to l«ndergo special treatment for her alcoholism and was also prepared to pay for her «hdd in » home. I'he case was adjourned.