A SYMPHONY?

NZ Truth, Issue 1183, 2 August 1928, Page 7

A SYMPHONY?

It Depends Upon The Interpretation (From "N.Z. Truth's" Wellington Rep,) "If you'll only do this, or, only do, that— if you'll only give me another chanst. . . . " is the burden of an unmusical jingle oft re- ! peated, m varying keys, and with numberless interpretations, from the dock of lower courts. And the quaint part of It is that each contributor thinks his or hers is the original refrain. MANY a prisoner who has tripped m - over the judicial tapes has believed that a little unctuous expression, nice - ly ; applied, will help him to - get away with his little sob. story. ' Peter O'Malley has done quite a lot towards bolstering up the idea, but since his brush with Magistrate Salmon m the Wellington Police Court on Monday, he • should instil m his fellow prisoners' a .little advice as to the . inadvisability of putting it over a magistrate who has heard the tune so many times before. \ ' ■'■. Versatility Although the O'Malley pleaded "Not guilty" to having smashed his ninth statutory offence as a drunkard, his record of 47 convictions singe 1923 sounded the tocsin, was too much for kindly credulity, and when Magistrate Salmon delivered himself of some pointed observations concerning Peter's attributes, he sent the voluble Irishman away for three months— refresher course. ; ■';'..''■' - '. ■: ■■' ' There are occasions O'Malley objects to the music of his real name, so he- changes, it^to .Swanspn, or Sawyers,' and, when^ he tires of. these he adopts the title of "Clarke," " for , the time being., '.'■'■' When Sub-inspector Lander outlined some of the facts surrounding O'Malley's career, the accused burst forth into a tirade of abuse,. Incorporating declarations that he was "not given a fair and square deal, . etc., .etc." to all of which the bench listened with as much patience as it was, humanly possible to muster. ' " '!If only you'll ; give me another chanst — give me two hours to get out uv it, an' you'll never see me agin. . . "An' If- you dp— an' I misbehave meself, you can shoot me,' if you like And so on. , Peter had forgotten that a few « weeks ago he had told a similar tale, with a similar unmusical setting; that he had put it over so well that the magistrate heeded 'him and gave' him "another chanst.?' V v ■ v But this time, Magistrate- Salmon was not to be hoodwinked by softtongued subtlety. "You are a positive nuisance. Three months', imprisonment." ■ "Stand down,"o was the. order, -and down went the O'Malley. ■ > ' •