TOLD THE MAGISTRATE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1927, Page 4

TOLD THE MAGISTRATE

LONDON, Sept. 21. Common politeness would have saved James Gall from six weeks imprisonment. He is a sort of man who "ill throw himself into the sea to escape a shower of rain. Arrested at Bethnal Green for having been drunk and disorderly it was discovered that he had stolen an overcoat from an old man in a Salvation Arinv shelter.

Fearing that lie would lose his job as a platemakor the magistrate allowed James to go out oil bail, but be failed to surrender at the end of a fortnight, and. being real-rested, he was sent to prison yesterday for six weeks. Moral : It is always pays to lie polite, even in a police court.

The woman in blue and the woman in brown were. t:> use a yachting term, ‘‘jockeying for position” at the witness box. The woman in blue steering a cunning course, ‘‘blanketed” her rival and sailed in first with a long story about having been abused, insulted, threatened, and frightened out ot her life. “Excuse me.” interpolated t lie woman in brown, forcing her brows to the front, ‘‘she is swearing my man’s life away. Her father is living with my mother’s brother, and the families are getting mixed.” Both women were requested to keep tlie pence, and each departed satisfied that she had got the better of the other.

Married for thirty years an angry wife brought her husband to court and made him stijnd behind hc-r while she told the magistrate most of her sorrows and trials of her married life. Humbly, the husband listened patiently to the eloquent recital of his sins, and "hen his wife had obtained a summons for persistent cruelty he mildly inquired: “Please will you stop her from knocking me about ?” “You rome home,” ordered the wife darkly. A tired-looking, middle-aged woman complained of the ill-treatment of a man with whom she has been living for two years. “He won’t work.” she said, “and when I ask him for money lie gives me a black eye, and I have to feed him and his two' children.” “Where do you get the money?” asked the magistrate. “1 am separated from by husband, who allows mg 24s » week,” *be replied.

“Ami does lie know about this other man?” queried Mr Pope. “Oh yes,” replied the woman casually. “I had four children by my husband and he keeps two. T am unlucky with men and i want to net rid of this other one, but he won't leave the house.” “Why <1 id you take up with him?” asked Mr Pope, “Well, you see. lie was a widower null T was sorry for him,” said the woman who has ceased to care. “T’d like to see your husband who pays you on a separation order so that you can keep another man,” observed the magistrate as lie granted a summons for assault.