GREATLY EXAGGERATED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 61, 13 March 1942, Page 3

GREATLY EXAGGERATED

ALLEGATIONS OF DRINKING BY SOLDIERS WELLINGTON POLI( I ] MEW (P.A.) Wellington. March 12. Recent public statements containing allegations of excessive drinking by men in uniform were described :is “greatly exaggerated” in some cases by the ( omniissioner of Police (Mr. D. J. Cummings) to-day. During tne iasi lour mourn., s.uv the commissioner, mere wui'c locaoj do prosecutions against neent-evs an«. (.neir servants, ana iour mme v.eiv penning. During the same pcrioc there \\cre nine prosecutions agciiiisi siy-gi'og sellers aim six were peauing "me police na\c me puvwr, n said, "to visit noLCis at an;, nuar o< mu day or nignt wncn iis it; loum necessary, ana lne\ ao .so n the iati: warrant it. i'iie Dicensing Act is Doing strictly eniorced. Complaints aiiout soldiers carryni; parcels ol liquor around wim men may sometimes oe Hi-ioundcd. int Commissionei related now in some cases police officers had intei rogattc soluieis carrying paicuis ol wnm. appeared to be liquor. Somuiinu • th<.. ? suspiu.ous-looking parcels had lurm . out to be boltlus ol worcestcrsmix. sauce, tomato sauce, lemomme, am other little luxuries whicn the mu; had purchased to brighten up tn. camp fare. "Un the whole tney arc a son. . although there are exceptions, but il strikes one that when >(.'■ < mm in uniform intoxicated the lam in ti iu cs iiself,” said tiiu bupuriiilcmiun of Police al Wellington (Mr. C. \V Lopdell), who supported the views o. the Commission's'. “In proportion io tin* human , for getting drink, 1 should .say that i.cevidence of drunkenness is not large," said Mr. “mere is rsiuencf of drinking, but not io the extent of drunkenness. You can’t stop a man frotn drinking, so long I as he is sober, am! does not become I a public nuisance.” ] Referring tn the siy-grog simps, tin Superintendent said that many o j these places had come into existenc |on the pretence of le.gall.. entertain ing men in the Services al dancin. ami other forms ot recreation. Il I some cases, by the lime the polic* Im ! learned of their ti ne mil lire, i ney iim jbeen broken up and e.staniisiiod else (where. This danger, however. Im j been largely removed by recent legis nation which enabled the police L ('liter, without .warrant. premise; (where sly-groggi.ng was believed t< I be going on.