KEGS AND KEGGERS

Southland Times, Issue 17698, 9 July 1914, Page 2

KEGS AND KEGGERS

♦ Til BEE MEN El NED, Frank Geo. Woods. Robert 11.-mna. and Andrew Mitchell appeared before the Magistrate, Mr Tims, Hutchison, at Hie Police Court yesterday morning, charged with being rogues and vagabonds and with being found illegally on premises by night. Detective - Sergeant Cameron prosecuted. and Air E. Tipping appeared for accused. After outlining the facts of the case, Detective - Sergeant Cameron called lie. lective Carroll, who said that in consequence of complaints be wont to Whittaker's timber yard on Saturday night in company with Detective Cameron, in a loose-box in a stable at the rear of the yard they found tin- three accused. He asked them how they came to be there, and for a time he received no answer. Thou Mitchell said that he only lived next door, and had come in for a drink. Woods said that Ernest Hogue, who was in Hie employ of Ryan and Turpin. to ■whom the stable belonged, bad given i hem permission to use it. Accused wore taken to Hie Police Station and charged. There was a two gallon demijohn of beer there. I lad not known either Hanna or Woods to have done any work for a long time past, except perhaps a little scene shifting now and then. Mr Tipping: Are there many keg parties in town? Witness: Yes: hot there are different classes of "keggers"; sonic who only go out. now anil then, and others who are habitually at it. The accused belonged to the latter class. Did not know that Hanna had been working on the railway. and if ho had been working there it was not for long. Wm. Turpin said that, the stables were the properly- of Ryan and Turpin. He kept five horses there besides straw, harness, and 'other things. Had not given accused authority to use the stable, nor had Ryan. Hogue was in ills employ, hut bait no right to give them permission to go there. Wm. Whi I taker knew two of the accused. who had no permission to enter his property. Had been troubled witli persons "begging," hut had never seen the accused (here. Air Tipping said that Hie defence was that accused had been given permission by Hogue to use the stable. He called, Arthur Ernest Hogue, who knew the accused. Two of them had been at the stable at 1 o'clock on Saturday. It they said that he gave them authority tc use tlie stables they were telling a falsehood. Andrew Mitchell never received permission from Hogue to use the stable, hut Hanna told him that he had been told by' Hogue that he could go there. Robert Hanna saw Hogue about I.MO, and the latter asked about getting two gallons Of beer, and after a while went away to procure one. Hogue asked him to go to the stable, and he was there when Hogue came in on the cart with the beer. Wood's was also present, and the three of them stayed in the stable till about 11.30. and consumed the liquor. Witness asked Hogue if lie had charge of the stable, and Hogue replied that lie had. and that the stable was his. Hogue asked him about getting another keg. and witness ordered one, and went round to SherrifFs about S.JO that evening to get it. To Detective (lamcron: It was not unusual for him to go "kegging.” There were hundreds of keg parties around invercargill. He wa-s a married man. and was to have been brought up that morning for failing to maintain 1 1 is wife. Had earned £3 or £4 during the last, throe tr four months. Had had liquor while, scene sh if ting at the theatre, but was not one of those concerned in the disturbance recently referred to in the papers.

All- Tipping said that it was common knowledge that a great amount of drinking wont on in these places. Alon who had rooms, or who belonged to a club, could go there and drink their liquor. Unfortunately these men were not wealthy enough to belong to clubs, and had to take their beer in the open. If the licensing law introduced by .Mr Scddon, which provided for no-license-no-liquor, had been brought into effect these things would not he carried on. This law had been objected to, and as a result the men were made victims of an unreasonable law. The defendants admitted having had the beer. He asked that they he dealt with leniently, as all the accused had work to go to. The Magistrate: AliU-lic-ll does not appear to have been so had as the other two. Detective - Sergeant Cameron: No, your Worship; he has not been at it so long. Continuing, the Alagistrate said that it was quite true that keg parties were a common institution, and the name “Inverkegville," as he had once heard it termed, seemed a very appropriate one. The practice of consuming liquor on private property was a reprehensible one. and must he put down, as there was a great danger of the property being destroyed. Woods and Hanna would each he lined £.l. in default four weeks' imprisonment: while Alitehell would he lined £?. jn default two weeks. The accused were allowed a. fortnight in which to pay.