London Costers.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 June 1910, Page 4

London Costers.

— -9 Recently the London costers assembled for the purpose of celeb raV ing the success of a union they had formed to protect their trading. They wore neat morning dress, were punctilious to a degree regarding the atiquette of a public dinner, .ami all looked remarkably prosperous. There was no display of "pearlies," and as the proceeding approached a climax, there were no florid demonstrations in favour of 'Liza or the "the moke." After a well-chosen six-course dinner with

wilnioh champagne and claret wore drunk, the costers smoked exceedingly go'od cigars and gravely discussed features of their curious trade. Five great street markets were represented, and it was shown that the far-flung mamtle of costoi commerce covers anything from a bunch of turnips to a suit of clothes, from a clay ipipe to an outfit of tradesmen's tools. In bad times the costers may net os a day. Front IDs to 15s a day is regarded] as a fairly good result, but some in the higher flights of the quaimt profession make as' much as £1 a dlay, and even more. Tbe coster is a lover of company and good fellowship, and in quite a small radius in the East End there are no fewer than tnvem/ty clubs whereat his social instincts ■may find 'full exercise. M'ost members of the honourable calling possess ponies and .traps (the humble donkey seemingly is going out of favour), and sporting topics which were discussed in their right ordei and .place and proportion ait the banquet, concerned the prowess of several notable equine .midgets in the (possession of the 'brotherhood.