“THERE'S MY HAT ON IT”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 484, 13 October 1928, Page 13

“THERE'S MY HAT ON IT”

VAGRANT WELCOMES PUNISHMENT HAS POOR OPINION OF COURT “I’ll take any punishment you like to give me, you , and there’s my hat on it.” So saying, Henry Charles Andow wildly cast his cap on the table at which sat the clerk of the court. This, however, was only the culminating incident of the most hectic ten minutes the Police Cx>urt has experienced for many a long month past. The court is usually particularly quiet on Saturday morning. There are few prisoners, and officials and, possibly, even the presiding magistrate, are occupied with thoughts of the morrow. Andow’s outburst was consequently all the more startling. Andow, a plumber, aged 50, pleaded not guilty to being idle and disorderly and having insufficient lawful means of support. According to Sergeant Burnett, Andow had done no work for six months and had been sleeping out for three months. He had been warned that if he were found sleeping in the shed again he would be arrested, but the following evening he was back again. “He was snoring like a pig when I arrested him.’’ he concluded. Andow explained that he was not asleep. He had arrived only a few minutes before being arrested and had “another with him. “I could have got a room,” he said. “The 6s that the police took from me was not all the money I had.” Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., gave Andow permission to make a statement, but interrupted him in the middle of a pithy lecture on sanitary plumbing. Andow: You ask me to make a statement and then you talk in. The Magistrate: That saves you wasting my time. Andow said that he had been working at the Salvation Army barracks lately, and a contradiction of that statement by Major Holmes called forth a torrent of lurid language that was stemmed with difficulty. Major Holmes: He is an abusive sort of man. Sub-Inspector McCarthy described Andow as an excellent worker, but hampered with the habit of wandering away from his job and forgetting it. “He has been three years in the Men - tal Hospital.” explained Mr. McCarthy. Andow considered that a “muck-up” had been made of the whole business. “I have been remanded for a week and have lost a pound in weight,” lie said. , _ “It is a difficult case, but I think I will order him to come up for sentence when called upon.’’ said the magistrate. This then called forth a further string of explosive oaths, in the course of which the indignant prisoner scattered like confetti a handful of papers from his pockets. “Put him away for three mortths. remarked Mr. Hunt wearily. As Andow left the dock, he cursed the magistrate, the court, the police and the Salvation Army impartially and in good round terms. “I swear 111 never touch plumbing again,” he cried. „ TT ~ “It is a sad case.” was Mr. Hunt s comment.