FROM THE DAILY NEWSPAPERS

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 6, 1 July 1947, Page 7

FROM THE DAILY NEWSPAPERS

•TOO MUCH MONEY” - YOUNG MEN AND DRINK “This practice of breaking into premises by night is one that is becoming almost common in New Zealand,” said Mr, Justice Fair in the Supreme Court this morning. “It is usually committed by men in good employment, and from a sheer lack of principle and honesty, without any kind of necessity at all.” His Honour was addressing three prisoners who were lie fore him for sentence after pleading guilty to a joint charge of breaking, entering, and theft. They were Patrick Harris-lies, 22, la'.Kiurer, John Burke, 22, wharf labourer, and Kevin John Halliday, 23, motor driver and laliourer.

His Honour went on to sj>eak of young men having too much money to sjiend on drink as one of the reasons why they got into trouble, and added: “Your offence was due to you having taken drink to excess during the day and then embarking on this offence as a means of getting the liquor you wanted to drink.” In admitting the three men to probation for two years, his Honour ordered that each of them take out a prohibition order. He also ordered that during the term of probation each man pay il a week to the Probation Officer, if earning more than £5 a week, and £1 a week if earning less, the money to be repaid at the end of the period. The Judge also ordered Harris-lles to pay £lO towards the cost of the prosecution and the other two £5 each. —“Evening Post.”

COMMENT BY A JUDGE P A. HAMILTON, April 20. Referring to a manslaughter charge against a Maori in the Supreme Court at Hamilton today, Mr. Justice Fair said the evidence would show that the Maori had been drinking heavily all day and wa* very much under the influence of liquor.

“You will probably have noticed that over many years now the circumstances relating to a large proportion of the more serious crimes always indicate that the persons involved have been drinking and that crimes have resulted from some 'tate or other of intoxication." added his Honour.

"In the case of Europeans the intoxicated person usually commits some sexual offence, and, most unfortunately, against young children. In some cases there is a loosening of self-control when a person drinks too heavily.” Referring to the effect of drink on Maoris his Honour said that unfortunately loss of self-control in a Maori too often led him to crimes of assault or violence which endangered the lives of other people. The Maori himself could not be wholly blamed for this as he was not very far removed from the days of the tribal wars. “It seems,” said his Honour, “that s otnr amendment to the existing licencing laws to prevent Maoris from getting intoxicated, as a protection for themselves as well as to others, or some other remedial measures mav prove beneficial ” -“Evening Post,” 30/4/47