SLY-GROGGERY GOUGED

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 8

SLY-GROGGERY GOUGED

— . — » Cop. Bandy's Busy Binoculars Pots Mother Parker. (From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.) For a considerable length of time a roaring sly-grog trade disfigured St. Kilda and the precious precincts of Forbury. Though every one knew the bally business was a -doing-, from the latest item at Cullen's depot to the smartest fossil of the St Kllda Borough Council, the wily one could never be nabbed. Parsons croaked, bobbies winked and pubbery men raved, but all to no avail. The law was openly and successfully flouted, till at last genial Inspector Fouhy, fully alive to the evil, planned a ruse, smiting the culprit hip and thigh. As usual, that very successful bobby, Mr. BUI Bandy, whose cranium is not too far up In his cabbage hat, was the pivot of the highly successful move. Bill knows Dunedin well,* from Athollplace to the "lupins," and having, m thd teeth of municipal anger cleared out the former "Place," compelling the City fathers to alter its name to Harron-street, he must needs pay attention to the "lupins." Bandy saw m the sheltering, fragrant precincts a very suitable and cosy quarter for ambush tactics. Consequently armed with a FORMIDABLE PAIR OF BINOCULARS, early on holy Sunday morning last, the astuto cop sought the fragrant "lupins" and there vory piously spent those holy hours certain foolish peoplo devote to inhaling dirty air m ill-ventilated churches. The cop. lay fiat on his lengthy blngoy, his glasses very accurately cocked m the direction of good Mother Parker's, across the road. Now and then as he saw what he wanted to see his lengthy limbs would ahoot high m tho air with quite boyish glee, and as ho dare not give an uprorlous bobby laugh, he merely granted the grunt of entire satisfaction. When the not was quite full, and the boy policeman's note-book as well, Cop. Bandy's /big left boot, the bigger of tho two, shot perpendicularly into tho air, Just like an upturned gun-boat. Lynx-eyed copmen m the far distance observed the signal, for such it was, and the ndwa waa convoyed by breathless .telephone to the Dunedin Central Police Station, wherein Inspector Fouby and many doughty cops received the glad intelligence. A motor car, all along, was conveniently reposing outsido tho barracks, and very quickly the boss-cop and his dnre-dovila were having a tremendous joy-ride to Forbury. At Forbury the motor ejected cops Kolly, Butlor, Slevler, Eckford. Hammerley, llael and Fallen, and theao wore promptly Joined by Cop Handy and his binoculars, and with Constables O'Connoll, Mcßue and Bob Marshall, tho local *un. Old Mother Parkor's houso waa surrouuded on all sides m a wJjiJc, and despito tho shrieks and yells of some of her touts outside, sha was caught napping. Brigades of young men »oon poured from tho placo by windows, doors, fanlights, flro -escapes, waterspouts, and overflow pipes. A fair number got away, but a FAIRER PROPORTION WERE BAGGISD, including tho goncrous hostess and piles of live marines and dead ones. Tho haul was a big one. Whisky, porter and beer fell to the captors m goodly quantities, malting tho parched mouths of tho sweating cops visibly water. Some of tho bcerod souls captured were under tho influence of liquor, and, m rumaglng through tho houso, Cop. Bandy struck his blngey against a big, live keg of boor. • Naturally, as a result of tho above terrible raid, a lengthy batch of proHocutlons will follow m the near future. But of thnt, mor.fi anon. Patrons of tho'lupintt and tho Beachro:ul Hhouid bawaro of binoculars. Parhann iho City Council will obllKo by atlbdnu the notico to a certain pair of bobblca' boots.