A Dog, A Man and His Trousers

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 11

A Dog, A Man and His Trousers

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

THE wisdom of Solomon would be hard pressed to find the solution of a problem which faced Magistrate Hunt inthe Auckland Police Court, when two men, one bringing to court a torn pair of trousers and the other a dog, asked for justice. , The man with the damaged trousers claimed^that the dog had been responsible for their destruction; the owner of the dog could, not believe this, and said so— -and the cause of the whole affair, Bob, the dog, said nothing, but passed the time by lazily scratching himself on the floor of the court while the argument proceeded. ' The defendant, J. F\ Pallen, a solicitor, of Auckland, had a great deal to say m defence of the dog's character, but Alexander Shenton, the victim of the dog's onslaught, held up his torn trousers and asked that, as his suit had cost him over £8, he be given £3/10/ r for the damage done to the lower half of it. And, as the magistrate remarked, "The one whd should know best was the man inside the trousers at the time.* ' ■. . Pullen, however, waxed indignant. "It is ridiculous to say that these trousers are 'worth £3/10/," he said/ "Why, this whole suit I am wearing cost only £4; It was a reach-me-down and there were thousands of them m the shop . . ■- " After listening to the evidence and eyeing the torn trousers, Magistrate Hunt remarked: "I' suppose the pristine beauty of the trousers is destroyed." Turning to Shenton, he asked: "How would it suit you if I gave you £2? You could have the trousers repaired for 10/- and have 30/---in your^ pocket." Shenton agreed that would be a fair thing, and art order was made for Pullen to pay £2 expenses. Shenton gathered up his troupers, Pullen called his dog, and once again the ends of justice were met. : .