AN INCORRIGIBLE INEBRIATE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 58, 30 August 1911, Page 7

AN INCORRIGIBLE INEBRIATE

AN OLD OFFENDER BEFORE THE \ OOURT, Henry Fynes Callaghan appeared on remand at" the S.M. Court yesterday morning, charged with having been found drunk in a public place on August 24, end with a breach of a; prohibition order. He pleaded guilty. Mr. R, C. Hughes appeared on his behalf, and asked the Magistrate to extend leniency towards the accused. He j knew that the S.M. was placed in a very difficult position in adjudicating upon the case, for he knew that Oallaghan had been before the Court before. The Bench: Here before! He has been here repeatedly. Mr .Hughes said he desired- to emphasise that the prohibition order had been taken out by the plaintiff himself on his own application, which was an indication of an attempt on his part to curb his tendencies to alcoholism. But, despite this, despite the warnings of the Court, and the solicitations of his friends, the accused had shown that he really wasn't master of bimseJif. But he could say that the accused was improving his position. He .'was making provision for his wife and family, and paying off his obligations. But he could not control his appetite for liquoT, which amounted to a disease in his case. Under these circumstances, he asked that his Worship would not go to the extreme step of committing the accused to a home for drunkards, but would give him another chance.

Senior-Sergeant Dart said that even if his Worship had thought of sending the accused to the home at Rotoroa Island there was no room there for him at the present time. Had there tieen, he would very strongly have urged the Court to adopt this course. Failing this, he would in ordinary circumstances have asked for the ( imposition of an exemplary penalty, but in this case such a punishment would falj on the accused's wife and children. So far as he could see, the case was hopeless,, and he hardly knew what to ask his Worship to do. He added that he had ascertained the names of three persons who had supplied the accused with liquer, aud although he had not sufficient evidence on which to have them convicted, the police would be able to caution them and thus probably prevent such a thing occurring in the future, which would be some help to the accused.

Mr. Fitzherbert, addressing the accused, said he seemed to have no backbone at all. Drunkenness 'with "him might be a disease—he did not know. But disease or no disease, it was quite evident that the accused would have, to be put under restraint. He certainly would have sent the accused to Rotoroa if there had been a vacancy—he would have gone straight away, and it would have been the best thing for him. But there was no vacancy, and under these circumstances it was still more difficult to know what to do. As the sergeant of police had pointed out, if he imposed a heavy fine it would only make his wife and family suffer. He would adjourn the casts for a month, and in that month a vacancy would doubtless occur at the home for inebriates. "If you don't reform," he warned the prisoner, "if you don't keep straight, you will go to the island. This is certainly .your last chance. You've, been given chance after chance. You've made all kinds of promises, and the only thing that has kept you away from restraint has been the fact that you have a. wife and family to support." He would ask the police to keep a close eye on him during the month, and if they saw any indications of his falling off or giving way to the -drink in that time, he would know what to expect. He would certainly go to the island. The case w.-w th«n adjourned for i\ month.