THE SEAMY SIDE

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1928, Page 3

THE SEAMY SIDE

TALES TOLD TO THE MAGISTRATE

GLASGOW, Nov. 0. Sing a song of six pence, the debtors arc coming to court. 1 hey were arriving by the score at the Ju.st.jee of the Pence Court here today, these ..small debtors to wlio-m £3 is a hugli liability and. sixpence a large

sum. Creditors and debtors fight for sixpence with the traditional tenacity oi the Scottish people before two lay magistrates and Sir Thomas Wilson, the Clerk of the Peace, who sits On the Bench and is the actual adjudicator. Aj 1 astute, broadminded mail with a

pawky sense of humour is this same Sir Thomas Wilson, ain’t be needs these qualities to deal witn the ingenious explanations and hardluck stories that come from the crowded court.

The court room itself is a spacious chamber resembling something between a southern county court and a concert hall. This morning it seemed to he occupied by a mothers’ meeting. Old wives in shawls and aprons and young wives in .smart coats and silk stockings sat side by side, and many nursed babies—sleeping babies, crowing babies, crying babies, especially cryihg babies, i discovered that iust as one yelping dog will set every dog in a. show barking, so' will one crying baby start every other infant within hearing to raise its voice in competition. It was the infants’ chorus to “Sing a song a sixpence.”

Two attractive flappers, one in blue and the other in green, sat apart from the crowd. Each representing a firm of creditors. I raise my lint to the business instincts of these Scottish lassies who /fearlessly battled with grim anci experienced matrons for the. saving sixpence.

The debs were owing for clothes, food, groceries, furniture, and lions? decorating, and in no case did the account reach £4, an in many instances it was only a few shillings. But they think in sixpences in the J.P. Debtors’ Court. No self-respecting Scottish housewife would trust her husband in a financial fight with the flappers and that was why the court was filled with women. A young wife wearng Russian boots and carrying a warmy dad baby cheerfully' admitted owing £2 11s. “What do you offer?” demanded Sir Thomas Wilson.

“A shilling a week,” replied the young mother. “Two shillings, snapped the green flapper, gazing fixedly at the Russian hoots.

“Eighteciipencc,’’ compromised Sir Thomas.

Both the flapper and the wife were satisfied. Each gained sixpence.

Joseph, who had neither wife nor Work, offered to pay a shilling a week on a debt of £3 os 6d. “Alan, that will take >'ou 66 weeks,’ calculated Sir Thomas. “T ask for 25,” said the blue flapper firmly.

Mistress Alexander draped her shawl across her sliolders like a Highland chieftain, placed her hands on her hips, and aggressively Hung an offer of sixpence a week on a £2 debt. “Do you smoke cigarettes?” blandly inquired Sir Thomas. “1 see they are included in the grocer’s bill. Has the grocer to feed vour family' for sixpence a week? Make it eighteenpence.” “Not out of ten shillings,” defied Mistress Alexander, flouncing out of court. '

“Why don’t you pay this debt of 45.? asked the clerk of Mistress Williams.

“He could have got it long ago,” flared Mistress Williams at a man collector, “if it were not for his cheek, standing on the stairs and making a noise like £4. I’ll pay a shilling a week.” and -it was so.