The Curse of Drink.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 130, 9 May 1883, Page 3

The Curse of Drink.

A painful illustration of the demoralising effect of alcoholic liquor is afforded m the case of Dpncan Bell, an old resident of i£aiwarra, on whose behalf an application was made at the Resident Magistrate/s Court, recently for the issue of a prohibition or^er under, the Licensing Act, oh the gtound that be, wastes his estate and., injures his health by intemperate, drinking. ;He did not appear.' "TEe'eVidencS called to prove the charge against ths accused disclosed a gad .state qf ..affairs/. Geprge. Hobbs, defendant's son-in-law, deposed that he had laid the information at the request of Mm Vr ..«Defenc|ant had resided m Wellington for over twenty; years, and tor the pa«t ten years iad been addicted to drink. For sometime Bell was very temperate and acquired, quite a competence, but forborne, years past he had j taken to drint and had been, on the < spree for thtrlastften weeks. Mrs Bell gare evidence that last Sunday week her husband- came home m an intoxicated state, and after locking the doors, rushed about the house with a large knife. He had been drinking continually for the past ten weeks, and spent regularly afiout 10s per week. There was jip^necessity for Him to work, as he had an income of about 30s per Week.] Xn order; to. save herself from '■ blows she had been obliged to withdraw some money from the Poßt Office Sars ings jßank; so as -to: supply him with j cash for liquor. Duncan-Bell, son of the accueedi . a;;fine strapping fellow about 20, wsb also examined. He stated that he had i several times seen bis father chase his mother about the place whilst j m his cups. On one occasion he ob- j served his father running , after his i mother with a bayonet, and deemed it advisable to tie him up all night. He saw the defendant this morning, and he appeared to be m a very shaky condition. £ neighbour was also called, but his evidence was not of much value. His Worship said that Mr Hobbs had adopted a wrong course m laying an information charging, the defendant with having wasted his substance. Bell should have been charged .with disturb* ing the peace of his wife and family. The order would; be refused. .