Merry Sawdust Revels At Midnight Leap-frog Party.

NZ Truth, Issue 1186, 23 August 1928, Page 7

Merry Sawdust Revels At Midnight Leap-frog Party.

BRINGING UP FATHER

Emily's Offensive

Or Was It Really A Question of Bringing Up Mother? ■ (From "N.Z. Truth's" Wanganui Representative.) Love is not the only thing that makes the world go round A little domestic stoush m season can set the business revolving merrily enough. Let's quote a case.

THROUGH the Open door of justice we are privileged to enter the menage of James King and his Wife Ehiily Louise of Wanganui East. Alleging persistent cruelty against herself and children, Emily Louise asked Magistrate. J. S. Barton for a separation order against her husband. Lawyer Wilson appeared for the wife, while Lawyer V. B. Willis had been briefed by Jim. Married m March, 1910, there were two daughters and a son of the union, said coriiplainant. Before the youngest" was born, Emily said that Jim forsook the sanctity of their room and for seven years had kept to l his lonely pillow. Some eighteen months ago, however, he wanted to creep back again, but she most emphatically said "No." Magistrate Barton suggested at this Juncture, that there must have been some reasori, and Emily replied that he Just made up his mind to occupy a separate room. Some time later she asked him the reason why and he said that- he was worried. On another occasion he said that he had other interests. 7 "And did you believe him?" queried the magistrate. . "Yes," ". replied Emily indignantly, "for I found certain things m his pocket." ' Questioned by Lawyer Wilson m regard to the alleged cruelty, complainant said that Jim punched her on the head on more than one occasion. Trouble started m real earnest on Easter Monday when he struck her on the. head. She was getting ready to go out for a walk when Jim once more made certain overtures to her. She promptly refused and Jim ' brandished his fist over her head and ground his teeth. She slipped out of the house, but later that evening, he. called her into the .dining-room and again renewed his application, only to be met by another point-blank refusal. Jim did some more .storming, but she held her ground so he vented his rage on the door, leaving it swinging on one hinge. At 5 a.m., however, he came into the bedroom where she was, sleeping with a daughter and remarked: "I have got you now. I will bash your brains out." She screamed and the daughter called the 17-year-old son, Percival. Emily then fainted. After this little flutter, she left and went to live with her brother-in-law, but Jim went crawling to her mother to get her to return. "He crawled on his hands and knees,"; she added. "Did you see him crawling on his hands?" asked the magistrate. "No," replied Emily. At any rate she returned and agreed to act as housekeeper for the children's sake, and matters drifted along smoothly for a time. Jim and the son then had a disagreement and the latter cleared out, but Jim soon got Detective Walsh on his track and brought him back. By so doing, Jim did not realize what was m store for him, for, on June 8, the domestic applecart was properly upset. The son had locked his door and Jim wanted to speak to him before he went to work m the. morning and when he could not get access to the room, he blamed Emily for putting the youth up to lock the door. Jim called her filthy names, arid as she realized that there was going to be trouble, she went to the wash-house and got the broom. Jim lashed out and hit her on the head with his fist and left a lump as big as an egg. The son. then grabbed Jim and Emily waded into him good and hearty with the broom. "I gave him a thorough, good hiding," she remarked, "while I had the ohanoe." He then refused to go to work and sat m the kitchen holding his arm.

\ She went on to enlighten the court that Jim's attitude towards her had been murderous. He had stood over her and the - eldest girl, menacingly and grinding his teeth, and even threatened to bash her brains out. The eldest girl stayed too long at the pictures one night, and, missing the train was obliged to walkHhome. Jim was m a towering rage and went down the street to meet her when he punched her m the mouth, made her lip bleed and loosened her teeth. He also followed her into the bedroom and punched her all over. He took a delight m quarrelling with Emily — on Sunday afternoons when the house was quiet and the children away, but Emily was now one too many for him for she locked herself m her room. . On one Of these punching exhibitions, she secured another lump on her head. The magistrate asked what led up to the Sunday afternoon trouble and Emily replied that it was the same old story of Jim wanting to make it up again. By way of further recreation, he punched her on the back and the blow caused her nose to bleed intermittently until the Monday afternoon. Lawyer Willis then opened the ball on behalf of Jim and asked Emily whether it was a fact that all the sulking was on her side. "No, it is not," she replied. !'When I ask him questions, he grunts like a pig, and I don't understand that m English." He worked himself into a raving temper, she said, and on one occasion knocked the son down m the yard simply because he had forgotten to feed the fowls. "How is your own temper?" asked counsel. : "Oh, not bad," replied Emily, going on to relate that. on Good Friday she returned home to find the son lying m bed with his face covered with blood after Jim had dealt with him. . a "Your son is bigger than his father and do you ritean to say that this little man . . ." Counsel had not " time to finish the question before Emily interjected: "Man, do you call him?" ■ What do you call him? — The poorest of Imitations. You know how to look after and defend yourself all right? — I can, if I get time. Just so. The time you used the broom on him, was that the first opportunity you had? — Yes. And you made good use of it? — I did. You hit him pretty hard? — The boy was holding him and I laid it on, hard and fast. He had' been looking for it for a long time. Lawyer Willis produced a teapot which had been carefully wrapped up and shepherded by Jim. "You picked this up and hit him m the face." "The old pal," said Emily gleefully, as she spotted the teapot. "Yes, I hit him with it." And that is the dent you made m the side of it, hitting him? — I smacked him m the face with it. Counsel then produced one of Jim's hats, showing, it was claimed, just how good the blow with the teapot really was, for it not only left a dent, but spread the enamel over Jim's hat. "I put the teapot m as an exhibit— "the good old pal" — said counsel, "for we may want to refer to it later on." Counsel suggested that m this process of bringing up father, the cruelty was all on Emily's side. You did your job so well with the broom and teapot, that you laid him out for two days? — He must be made of poor material. And this little man of such poor material, could be so persistently cruel? Now, what is your own language like? — I don't use bad language . But you have a hot temper? — Yes. You refuse to live as a wife?— l do, because I have hated him for years. God knows how muoh. She remembered on one ocoasion throwing a cup of hot tea In his face. "He aooused me of wasting his wages on paint and powder," she added with a smile. My word, that was dlreot aotion Indeed. And on another ocoasion you threw your dinner m his face? — I did nothing of the kind; I am always ready for my dinner. A daughter, Zena, then took a turn at relating dad's apparent shortcomings. She said that he came into the bedroom at 6 a.m. on Easter Tuesday and threatened to basn her mother's brains out. When she fainted, father said: "Let her die out on the road." He had also Jjit witness on various occasions. The son was the next to give his testimony, and he admitted with some pride that he held his father while mother pounded him with the broom. Dad often ground his teeth, waved his clenched fist and treated complainant like a dog. Father also struck his sister because she cut her hair and wanted to be m the fashion* In opening the defence, Lawyer Willis said that the household was not one of love, peace and harmony, but there was no persistent cruelty on respondent's part. Jim sailed along placidly enough m the box and denied that he ever ground his teeth or adopted a murderous attitude. In fact,, he. said: "I have no back teeth to grind." Complainant: "That's a lie!" . Respondent went on to deny that he ever raised any lumps . on Emily's head. On the contrary, she made such, a good job of him with the broom that lie was bad for days and could still feel the pain, m the bone of his -arm. One evening he looked up the table for the salt, and Emily said: "What the — ■ are lyou looking at?" She then picked up a cup of tea and threw it m his face.. There was also another little interlude around the festive board when Jim asked for the mustard. "You will get no mustard here," she said, heaving a plate of hot sausages and onions m his face. He went on to say that Emily had a tongue that would cut like a doubleedged razor blade. For all that, he dearly loved the children and had an affection for Emily. That was' the reason why he was defending the case. When they had a few words one evening, Emily threatened to cut his throat while he was asleep, but he took no notice of the threat. Magistrate Barton said that owing to the conflict of evidence he proposed to give a written decision, and subsequently Bald that he had not been impressed with the evidence of complainant and would therefor* refuse tht order.

HOT NIGHT IN WINTERLESS NORTH Variety Was ~ «_ j^ffi %& ou ust Of Gay Life /V f rf Look_First ! THE LADS OF THE VILLAGE STOOP TO CONQUER

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Commissioner.) SAWDUST! There's magic m the word. It brings a suggestion of the cosy tap-room floor, the flare-lit circus-ring, the menagerie. A vision of wild beasts, of acrobats, and, m this case, the buzzing of a circular saw hidden away m some leaf y fastness. Never has the mention of such dry-as-dust mundane matter had so much interest to the northern town of Whangarel Just drift into the town and whisper it ever so softly into the shell-pink listening apparatus of one of that town's dainty flappers; then stand back to watch the effect. She Will not shriek "fire! " " murder!" " police! "—particularly the latter— but a thousand chances to one she will gasp, make a noise like an epileptic goldfish, give a good imitation of an oyster, or turn her nose towards the heavens and convey the impression that she has mounted transcendent heights above something morally, mentally and physically depraved.

NO, they do not, at least, a number of maidens don't, like sawdust m that northern town. Even the late members of the now (quite recently) defunct Whangarei Sawdust Club reckon it's beneath them: It was! Was it an odd association of odd ideas that led to the foundation of this short-lived, but erstwhile, Sawdust Club? It seems possible; but give ear to the tale which has given relish to many an afternoon tea where the local gossips have gathered together, or as related over" some ' Inspiring amber fluid where the men folk are m committee, and then judge for yourselves. The Idea had its conception at a local hall m Whangarei. There, a dance was allegedly m progress, but it was poorly attended, the affair not going with that amount of pep which sometimes . distinguishes country dances. - The • consequence : was that the more elderly and sedate left the hall comparatively early; and the younger set carried on. - Things were still inclined to hang fire, bu^t, who knows, it may be that a bottle of wine or even a hip flask, soon made things take on a brighter hue. Then some bright spark suggested a change of scene.

muiiniminiiHiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijtiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiniiiiMiiiiiiiiiii! Possibly, the little coterie of bx'ightlighta were keen on developing the originality complex or tber« may •yen have been a touch of early spring m the air. In any case, when the curtain rose on the next scene, several pairs of jazz-fans were discovered (m the language of the stage) gambolling: on the sawdust dump of Lovatt's Mill. This dump is located on the eastorn fringe of the town, is fairly extensive, more or less secluded, and failing the light of a kindly moon, is obscured m comfortable darkness. As a place of amusement, or recreation, this might be thought a peculiar spot to seek diversion, but apparently it had something to recommend it. Association of Ideas is a remarkable thing. Whether it was the smell of the sawdust, or the acrobatic instincts of the small party which selected the outdoor change of venue or the combination of the two is not known, but the game these energetio and merry jazzers decided on was that of leap-

all the better to jump without, my dear! As for the gallants of the party, not to be outdone m such a matter of etiquette, and entering wholeheartedly Into the spirit of the ancient game of leap-frog, they. It is said, removed a certain article of attire also. Make no mistake, the gay little party did not attempt to emulate the fairious Kewpie Club. There is no suggestion that the conditions of this novel form of outdoor sport m any way resembled a game of "strip stark poke r." Never! All that they did was m the interests of freedom, being broadminded folk with a slogan of health first convention, well, cr — second. Forfeits have always figured m the simple games of old, such as postman's knock, kiss m the ring, oranges and lemons, etc.; so why not m leapfrog? There, they had precedent. Only the Sawdust Club went one better. The forfeit they agreed upon was one of much greater significance. It was agreed that the Shebas of the

iiiiiiuiiiiHiiiiiniiitmiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiii erstwhile acrobats should have four chances to leap over the heads and shoulders of their swaina. To fail entailed the payment of a forfeit — then and there. All's fair m love and war, and some girls are very athletic But What easier for the swain to raise his shoulders just the slightest? Then, with such a poor springboard as sawdust, it is hardly to be' wondered at that the leapers toppled back on to the sawdust. Followed, the forfeit. And so the night of merriment went on undisturbed. Pleasant as Whangarei is, life there Is not altogether one round of hectic excitement, and the general rule m such places is: "If you know something good, pass it on." This may account for the fact that when next the members of the W.S.C. met, their membership increased. After all, is not novelty the spice of life? And apparently the next meeting of this novel club was as great a success as the first, for, according to frothblowers, "the more we are together, the merrier we'll be," and one essential for Sawdust Club membership was that you must be a good "mixer." There were enthusiasts on both sides,

Athletic Flapper

and, with a hop, skip and a jump, all thought of consequences was thrown to the wind. Such is the glorious spirit of democracy that when the club met for the third time, more than one of the younger set of work-weary businessmen, who fully appreciated the dull time their handsome girl employees endured from week-end to week-end, took them along to the club's stamping ground for a real night's fun. There was nothing dull about the club's "active" "members, and snirit was not lacking to make things go with a jump. Under the grey light of a. winter moon, the phantom flg- ; "" ures of the clubites rose and fell with undulating pleasantness. Dainty forms rose into the air, gentle, loving sheiks hunched their shoulders to bear the burden of two. soft hands placed upon their ex-, pectant shoulders. . Subdued little squeaks and squeals came from .the dump across the road from Lovatt's Mill, while now and then the rougher laughter of the male

iiiiiiijuiuiuiuiiiiiiiiiiiumiiiuiimuniiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiinimimiiiiiiiHiiiiuii members broke the silence of the night. However, all good things must have an end, and, so the story goes, the care-free revellers attracted the attention of some busybody who had other ideas about the use of sawdust dumps, and their customary serenity being violated. Who knows but that jealousy may have had an influence on the bright future of the club? Was some candidate blackballed? However, it is a fact that the revels which were being held reached the ears of those m real authority, and an officer of the law made it his business to investigate tho cause of the sudden popularity of this usually despised part of the town. What he saw caused him to stop, and look, and even listen. Did they detect him by the flash of a button; did he sneeze ? The good people are so silent on that part of the story that it must for ever remain a mystery. Sufficient to say, however, that something happened, and, like leaves before the wind, the members of the Sawdust Club dispersed into the night. But not before some of them liad been identified. In the hurry of retreat, certain things

were overlooked, and when daylight gave a clearer view of the scene, two dainty feminine garments were found gracing the club-ites' playground. They are still awaiting claimants. Since that night, the Sawdust Club has not met; at least, not so far as is generally known. It is said that the short-lived fraternity has. dissolved for keeps, and it is not an easy matter to find any confessed member. In fact, they are singularly reluctant to discuss such matters as leapfrog, or Lovatt's Mill, or sawdust. It is devoutly hoped that a branch of Klu 'Klux Klan is not being considered. Local residents, who have the company telephones, have, for the last week or so, made various complaints that they can never get a clear line. In many, families there have been close investigations, and even examinations of the fair ones of the family which almost bordered on the third degree. But none of the lovely maids of reputable families know anything about the imputations made by their parents. No, they have never heard of the Sawdust Club, and staid business men of the town — who have other things to do besides gossip — will tell you that they have heard some nonsense about

!iiiiiiiiiiiiii!iMiiiimiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiuiiiiiiiiimmimiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiii a Sawdust Olub, but what it really means they do not know. This most becoming modesty is better understood when it is realized that the names of some of those mentioned as active, or associate, members belong to the best families m town. Even the long and barbed tongue of rumor has a very wholesome fear of possible consequences, should certain names be bandied about m a way that is not uncommon to limited communities. In one case at least, there has been the Damoclean sword of slander action hung overhead. Those who know most say least, but m one family at least where ma has been telling pa for the last year or so that we do not live m the old Victorian age, pa has put his foot down with- a thud, and announced that m; future he will say, and he only, to what his young fair ones shall, or shall not, go for entertainment's sake. There might have been a certain amount of regret m some quarters that such a promising club should die so sudden a death, and one wag of a busi-ness-man conceived the idea that be-

BUT SEARCHED IN VAIN

Young Girl Unable To Identify Father of Her Child (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Representative.) The young mother of an illegitimate child stood m the witness* ; box of the Wellington Magistrate's Court recently and with dull, lustreless eyes, sought to identify . the man who had been responsible for her condition.

SHE knew the young man whom it was alleged was the father of her . child, as "Frank Holmes," but the defendant, Frank Leslie Holmes-Edge, who sat m the front row of solicitors' benches with his counsel, no more arrested her attention than did others present at the time. The child of this unfortunate girl was born m December last at the Alexandra Home. It has since been committed to the care of the State. Last week the police sought to have the paternity of the child clearly established and on Dorothy McCallum's statement, cited young- Holmes-Edge as the father. Her evidence, however, was of little use; she had not the remotest idea of times or dates and had so palpably failed to identify the defendant as the father that Magistrate Salmon, who heard the story, dismissed the information. Whoever so basely betrayed this young girl, he haß, at all events, evaded his responsibility and the State is nowsaddled with the cost of maintaining her child. Giving evidence m a low, monotonous, sing-song voice, m answer to the questioning of Sub-Inspector Lander, the girl related her story. It appeared that early last year she was working as a domestic at a house m Kainul . Street, Hataitai. Her weekly half-holiday being on a Wednesday, she usually went to see her step-mother, leaving there again ln the evening between 6 and' 7 p.m. She invariably boarded a car back to Hataitai, and it was there, some time after 7 o'clock, she said, - that she met Frank. He was al- _ ways m his drill clothes. Her meetings with him always took place on a Wednesday and they walked home together, sometimes going on past her place to an empty section some distance further. Frank, she said, lived m the same street as the lady with whom she was working. To the Sub -Inspector, the girl said that when she told "him was m trouble he said he was going away. When asked if she could identify the father of the child, the girl McCallum gazed long and earnestly to wnere ; members of the press and court officials were sitting. Sub-Inspector Lander (with a sweep of his arm) : Have a- look over m the other direction. ' Lawyer Percy Keesing (for defend*ant): You needn't point defendant but to her.--j The inspeotor: I'm not. There are other people m court other than where she is gazing. Further questioned, , complainant could not place any definite' time when she was out with "Frank." It would be some time last year, she said. She had not misconducted herself with anyone else, and the first time this happened she did not know what it was all about. On subsequent occasions, though, she understood what she was doing. In answer to defendant's counsel, the girl said she had spoken to men working on a building near where her mistress lived, and had sometimes conversed with tramwaymen when coming home on the car. This, she asserted, was the sum total of her acquaintanceship with men. She did not understand anything about sex, she said. "Did you think ' he way good look, ing?" asked counsel, referring to the young man she knew as Frank. "Yes," same the very diffident reply. "And did you love him? Perhaps you thought you loved him just a little?" Again came the diffident murmur: "Yes." As' no further information could be got from the girl, her step-mother was called. She informed the court that the girl had been at her Hataitai employment about nine months. When complainant came home on Wednesdays, she was always escorted back to the tram by her sisters. Witness received a complaint from Dorothy's mistress that the girl was keeping late hours. The girl never told her of the trouble she,was m. It ap- ! peared it was her mistress who first became acquainted with the fact. Robert Charles Murrell said he knew that defendant had been out of Wellington for some time. Prior to that, he lived with his parents m Hataitai. He saw Holmes-Edge walking up behind the girl one Wednesday night. Defendant later caught up with her and the pair walked away together. That was m March or April of last year. ; Edward John Tolley, the next witness for the police, said he knew Holmes- Edge. The latter had told him he had frequently been out with.a [girl and often misconducted himself with her. He referred to her as "the I maid round the road." Defendant had showed him a note-book-diary affair with a record of dates when intimacy with the girl had allegedly taken place. He never heard the girl's name spoken. Sub-Inspector: How did he make his record m the diary? — By crosses. After the girl's child was born, defendant's brother, said witness, came to him and asked him to "back up Frank's statement to the police." , The girl had a child and he did not want Frank to have to pay for it. "Let the State keep it," is what Tolley said he was informed. Further questioned, Tolley admitted he. had been shown- the diary about two weeks before Holmes-Edge left Wellington. To Lawyer Keesing, witness said he thought there was some truth m Holmes-Edge's statement, but he also thought some of the crosses were a bit of an exaggeration. He had often heard boys boast m this way. Counsel: How did you know Frank was going with a girl? — It was fairly common talk round Hataitai at the time that Frank used to go with her. Further questioned, witness said the police told him that Holmes-Edge had put witness m a very, funny position. He , had not made the statement, though, through alarm. It was true m every particular and also what he had said on oath. "Ronald Martin, another young man living m the dUtrloti s«l«

Keeping A Diary ' .

Holmes-Edge told him he had been, i out with "a maid." , - T.'l To Lawyer .Keesing, he said h_7 had heard rumors that she "was a 7 bit silly and loose In her morals." Counsel: Do you think Holmes-Edg^ was boasting about his association with girls?— Well, there was talk going round Hataitai. Iri reply to counsel's assertion that there was no case to answer, his wor* ship said that the defendant had better be heard as there was Tolley's evidenct to be considered. Young Holmes-Edge, m the witness* box, said, he had only spoken to ths girl twice, once when he was return* ing from drill and once when she waft out wheeling a pram. All the giri ? s evidence was false. To the bench, he said he had heard Tolley's evidence, but it was all £ boast. Witness boasted about girls oty occasion. Tolley had said the earn* sort of thing, so he just followed suit. It was the general gossip that the girl was of loose character. He had never had any crosses m his book. Counsel: Do you keep 'a diary? —Yes. \ What do you put In it? — Various happenings at work. Have you any -records of anything m it that you would be ashamed of anyone else: seeing? —No.' ..,' There was absolutely no truth iri Tolley's statement. He had neve? been intimate with the girl. Sub -Inspector: You say you used to boast. What you showed Tolley -wag all boast? — Yes. y Used he to boast. also? — Yes. ' Your, morals quite good? — Yes. You do not have these sort of dealings with girls?-* No. You're not a cut above ;the ordinary young man ? — No. You '; and your mates put her down as a person of .loose morals? — Only from gossip. You say that, and you have only, Spoken to the girl twice:' You "put yourself m as a much -injured -young irian? — Yes. You are on probation ?-^>Yes. ; tTj.. ' Do you know when it was you left Wellington ?— No. - •' Come. You are brighter than this unfortunate girl who is before the court to-day.— l think it was about the end of April, 1927. - .-,. .T,- v „ Did you and the boys realize this girl was riot mentally strong?— No. Did you the first time you spoke to her ?— No, but the second tinffe I thought she was a bit silly. T 7 y In his statement to, the constable -at.. Petane (near Napier), Holmes-Edajo said he had been employed m the district as a farm laborer from September, 1926, to April, 1928, and also that he had never spokeri to Dorothy Mc« Galluni m his life. ■■ *■ In answer to the sub-inspector ha admitted that the two statements. were incorrect, , but the constable had. bounced hirii at the time. The sub -inspector: So you say. The constable is not here to refute that. The mother of defendant, well* dressed and speaking m. a cultured voice, said "she remembered complainant. She had seen her talking to, men on cgnstructiori. work near by and "also to tramwaymen. ._ "My son had a lot of boy friends," she said. "Oh, only the very best class, of course; I am surprised that it is suggested that he was the father of this girl's child." In his summing up, his worship sajfi there was insufficient corroboration. There had been no speoiflo times 0? dates mentioned. The girl was appat* ently of weak mentality and m the otr_ cumstances he would have to dismiss the information. -