'ARRY OR 'ARRIET? A NEW ZEALAND GIRL TRIES TO ENLIST AND GETS LOCKED UP.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 363, 27 April 1889, Page 6

'ARRY OR 'ARRIET? A NEW ZEALAND GIRL TRIES TO ENLIST AND GETS LOCKED UP.

Harriet Muir, described in the charge sheeb as an actress, appeared before Mr Hannay afc Marlbro-street Police Court one morning last month, charged with disorderly behaviour, by appearing in male attire at the tit. George's Barracks, Hemmings Row. The woman, as she stood in the dock, with her hair cub short, and dressed in a black jacket, dark trousers and white silk neckcloth, would have passed anywhere for a respectable young man. She was unusually tall for one of her sex, find splendidly built. Her smooth face, notwithstanding her fine proportions, made her look a very young "man." Sitting or standing she seemed every inch a well-grown boy, but the moment she walked her disguise was futile; no lad of her size ever walked with such

short quick steps or with that peculiar gait due to the restraining action of fashionable feminine attire, in complexion she was between dark and fair, and. was the possessor of decidedly pretty featuros, as well as a superb figure. Sergeant-Major Kalman siid that Harriet presented herself on Tuesday afternoon at the St. George's Barracks for enlistment. Although she answortd the usual questions satisfactorily, there was something in her behaviour that roused the sergeant's suspicions, aud 'ho immediately sent her to the doctor. She then promptly admitted her sex. A constable was sent 1 for, but she was not given into custody at once, but was requested to leave the barracks. This she did, but outside caused a large crowd to assemblo by refusing to go away. Eventually sho was taken to the police station. Mr Newton, ior the dofence, explained that the prisoner's father was a farmer at Christchurch, New Zealand. About four years ago she ran away from home, and had been earning her living since as an actiess. Last week she came to London Irom Bristol, where she had been acting. Her object was to get back to hor parents in Now Zealand, and in furtherance ot this she had vi&ited the docks, ai^d tried to get a position as steward on board a New Zealandbound vessel. Finding, however, to her mortification, that she did not know enough of cooking, etc., to obtain such a place, she, in despair, determined to enlist. MrHannay remarked that if she had enlisted she would have found herself in an extremely awkward position. Mr Newton admitted that it was very foolish to attempt Buoh a thing, but asked the magistrate to put her back till the afternoon, as he was instructed by her friends that someone would bo in attendance with clothes more suitable to her &ex. Arrangements were being made to send tho young lady back to her father by an early eteamer. Mr Hannay agreed with Mr Newton's proposition and Harriet was put back till tho afternoon. She will probably be sent out by the direct steamer to-day under some assumed name so as not to attract attention.