DRUNKENNESS IN WELLINGTON.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14007, 11 March 1920, Page 6

DRUNKENNESS IN WELLINGTON.

(Otago Daily Times Correspondent.)

Wellington is getting an unenviable notoriety, for drunkenness, and the number'of men under the influence of liquor seen in the streets hist after closing tiriie will undoubtedly go a long way towards increasing the Prohibition vote at the next election. It is a common saying nowadays that if Prohibition is carried at the next election it will be carried by the votes of the moderate men. who are beginning to despair" of reform in the trade. A cast* has just been heard in the focal Magistrate's Court giving some indication of the position. One of the city | trams was recently held up for forty minutes owing to trouble caused by men who were the worse for liquor. 'The City Colicitor stated that this particular train, which left the Post Office Square for Aro street just after 0 p.m.. usually collected a number of persons who left the public-houses about 6 o'clock. During' the week a. special relief tram was run on this line to cope with the extra traffic, at that hour, but on Saturday night there was no relief tram. The conductor proceeded to move the rieople off the centre platform. The tram was packed, and many of the passengers were under the influence of liquor. The conductor was unable to clear the platform owing to the peculiar temper of several of "the passengers. In the meantime, a Maori, who became impatient, pulled the bell, with the idea of. starting the tram, and then got off. The crowd, however, urged him to return, ;vnd it was alleged that a second accused was one of the chief offenders. The tram had been held up for 40 minutes, when Inspector Svenson and Constable Wnish came on the scene. "This occurs every night," concluded counsel, "but chiefly on Saturday jniaht, when the Corpora fciqn'is unable to run a. relief tram. coming from the publichoiises nHke -themselves an intolerable nuisance." \Afc one time, said a witness, the 'situation was "dangerous/' The Mnori, ,was convicted and ordered to pay costs. The other accused was not dealt with, as ,there was- some doubt about identification.