A GOOD FAT NUGGET.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1122, 14 August 1882, Page 4

A GOOD FAT NUGGET.

EXTRAORDINARY MATRIMONIAL COMMISSION. A most extraordinary case was heard at the Small Debts Court, Lambton, New South Wales, before Mr Perrott, P.M, in which Mrs Graham, a widow, residing near Lambton (according to the report in the “ Newcastle Herald”) sued Mr Jacob Hall, a storekeeper, of the same place, for the sum of £9 19s for commission on obtaining a wife for him as per agreement. The Court was well filled, the fair sex being well represented. During the examination of Mrs Graham, the Court was convulsed with laughter. The cause of the action as set out in the summons ran as follows:—“To searching for and providing you with a wife, as per agreement, £9 195." Mr T. Cronin appeared for Mr Gorrick, on behalf of the plaintiff, and Mr Moore for the defendant. After opening the case, Mr Cronin examined the plaintiff as follows

Mr Cronin—Did the defendant, Jacob Hall, employ you to procure him a wife? Mrs Graham—Yes; he asked me one day, when I was talking to him about a servant, and he says, “ By-the-bye, do you know of any good widows about ?

Mr Cronin —And you there and then went and looked for a wife ? Mrs Graham—Yea; and I was to procure one within a week. Mr Cronin—What sort of a wife did he want? Mrs Graham—Well, he wanted a good fat nugget of a wife, and a good weight carrier—fat as a beer-barrel, like himself. Mr Cronin—Did you get him a good weight carrier ? Mrs Graham—l got him a good nugget, and they got married in four days after. Mr Cronin—How did you go about the business ? Mrs Graham—l travelled all round for about six weeks—night and day—and he only gave me half-a-crown 'for my travelling expenses. Jacob Hall, the defendant, was out too looking for a wife, and he did no good. Mr Cronin—He failed, and you succeeded in catching the prise. When you met her what did you say to her? Mrs Graham—l told her I was looking for a wife for Jacob Hall, of Lambton. Mr Cronin—ls she a fat nuggett, according to the agreement ? Mrs Graham—Yes, she is a very fat nugget. Mr Cronin—Where did you take her when you had found her, Mrs Graham—l took her to Jacob Hall's shop in Lambtnh. Mr Cronin—What oappened then f Mrs Graham—They made it up, and she told me she would never formo for bringing her to a full shop and a good husband, and she threw half-a-crown into my lap for luck. Mr Cronin—l suppose she was just what he wanted—short and fat. Mrs Graham—Yes, and they got married four days after, and they won’t recognise me now. Mr Cronin—Did you work hard to get the wife. Mrs Graham —Yes, night and day.

Mr Cronin—And do they live happily ? Mrs Graham—They do live happy. By the Police Magistrate—l suppose it is a difficult matter to get wives about Lambton ?

Mrs Graham—Yes, it is hard to get fat ones like Jacob Hall's wife. Mr Moore submitted that the Court had no instruction in the matter, and quoted authorities in support of the objection. Mr Cronin contended that the Court of Petty Sessions was a Court of good conscience, and that the Bench could use its own discretion whether to go on with the case or dismiss it.

The Bench decided the Court had no jurisdiction.