DRINK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 78, 25 May 1880, Page 2

DRINK.

(From the Patsa Mai 1 .) How does the average man define drunkenness? So many degrees oi inebriety have been " given in evidence," that it is often a delicate task for magistrates to draw the line between an innocent tipler and " five shillings and costs." A constable swore on Tuesday that a certain prisoner was " regiraentally drunk." Another witness swore the same prisoner was sober, but excited. A third witness said he was decidedly drunk. Here were three degrees, strongly marked, and apparently inconsistent; yet each witness was positive that he was the best judge of the man's condition. To be re^i mentally drunk is a novel definition in a police court, but it conveys a des finite idea of unsteadiness. If a sol* dier be so unsteady as not to be cap able of taking guard-duty, he is " regimentally drunk." This is not a perfect definition, but it is more precise than those familiar standards known as "half seas over," a little " gone," rather •' fresh," half "tight," pretty -well "screwed," •' three sheets in the wind," rather "fou," or "blazing drunk." To define the stage at which a man ceases to be responsible for his actions is even more difficult than to fix the fact of his being drunk. For there are fellows who can got drunk, even " blind drunk," and yet know with a certain swimming consciousness where they are and what they are doing. But these are highly seasoned hogsheads, and not safe to swear by as a rule. Lastly, there is that celebrity of oldstanding, The three bottle man in a company, screwed ; Not firm on his legs, but by no means subdued.