sub hasher { shift(), (@_ ? $#_ ? { &hasher } : @_ : return) }

my %hash;

while (<DATA>) {
        chomp;
        my @a = hasher(split /=/);
        $hash{ $a[0] } = $a[1] if @a == 2;
}

use Data::Dumper;
print Dumper \%hash;


__DATA__
a = ID = 1234 = this is the next bit = fifteen = 19.168.0.2
<<Start of info>>
b=Gadens_Melb
c=
d=
e=2006-03-27 15:10:06
f= ContactSensor:INPUT2
g=Critical
h=Event-101 fatal stack error on PRI 001