HIS FIRST BEER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9622, 30 March 1917, Page 6

HIS FIRST BEER

BEING “SOME KID" AMUSING ACCOUNT OF YOUTHFUL EXPLOIT. A young fellow of 20, who was chief witness in a charge against Joseph A. Raynes, manager of the Thistle Hotel, of having served liquor to a person apparently under 21 years of age, created considerable amusement in the Police Court at Auckland on Wednesday morning by his naive description of what happened when he took his first glass of beer. The witness, a timber worker namod F’rancis Perry, stated that he had been at work since he was 12 years of age, and his language was emphatically more of tho streets than of the schools. “I got a pretty -solid job,” said, “and wasn’t feelin’ too well with a crook back. So 1 takes a holiday and meets a mate, and tolls him I m feeliu’ crook, and wants a drink of water. He says to me, ‘How about some of that Speight’s beer, they say it’s good f ’ I says, ‘Hurray!’ and goes into the Thistle Hotel, and goes up to the bar, and says, ‘A pint of Speight’s, please.’ I never bad beer before, and didn’t know anything about it, but thought I’d bo ‘some kid.’ X only heard some people call it lubricatin’ oil, and that it was a sort of medicine. There was an old bloko there j with whiskers, and nobody asked mo my age. I’d' heard a lot about this Speight’s beer, and thought I’d give it a go. I drank half of it and felt a hit bettor. Then I drank the other half, and it took charge of me, and I don’t know what happened till I woke up in the colls. I ain't gom’ to have beer any more.” The young fellow answered all crossexamination in similar “Sentimental Bloke” style, with reference to hdw his “block” and his “nut” felt after tho beer, and, occasionally, he would halt the ptory with a “wait a minute” or “hold hard,” to his examiners, while he had a think, as he “wasn’t used to swearing.” He admitted that he was a bit hard of hearing, but was absolutely sure he hadn’t been asked his ago. . The defendant, Raynes, and the other man in tho bar at the time, whom Perry had designated as “whiskers,” gave evidence that Perry had been casually asked if ho was twentyone, though he looked over twentyone, and he replied, “Long ago.” Defendant said he really took Perry for a Cockney fireman.

Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M., stated that on Perry’s appearance there must be a doubt about his looking over 21 years of age, as while ho had a young face he had an old manner. Defendant evidently asked' the question. Consequently on the ruling of Mr Justice Donniston that the mere asking of the age by the barman, and taking the reply without any other evidence of age was not sufficient for the law. His Worship felt that there must ho a conviction.

On the application of Mr Prendergast, who appeared for Bridget Sullivan, tho licensee of tho hotel, His Worship postponed actual decision until the following day.