THE " MUNJUKS." AT THE COURT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 14, 17 January 1908, Page 8

THE " MUNJUKS." AT THE COURT.

THOSE "ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES." ''Munjuk" is a word ihkt has Deen coined to describe the individual known in New Zealand asi the "court habitue" ; rather the term is a natural develop' ment, for its syllables somehow suggest the 'wall-polishers" who garp from the \ barrier, at, the' hall of justice, just as •'group" beautifully designate? ,the person who plunges an ignoble thumb into his mouth prior to turning the- leave 3 of a piecious book. This morning the "munjuks" were in a sad way at tho Magistrate's Court. Some thirty-two of them lolloped in an. unlovely double lino over the rail that kept them from encroaching upon more, respectable territory. The case was nob unsavoury, but it was the best on offer in a dull season, and "they were trying to make the most of it. They knew that men on the land were crying out ' for workers,' but the "munjuks." prefer to 'cling to the city with its breakfast of court sensations. They were tired ; they" sagged down upon the barricade ; their legs were, on strike "against their bodies, and their arms were loth to bear tho weight of their heads, but jvteFe pressed info service. In at .leatt two directions, however, each "munjuk" •was conspicuously alive ; his neck was stretched out to its fullest extent. Tho ears, too,"weie obviously on the alert, for the sounds fell faintly at the back of 'rfi'e court, and the mouths droopo 1 open to help the ears to absorb the evidence and the comments. It is a notorious fact that a "murjuk" never misses anything worth hearing, even if it gpes /forth in tho slightest whispor, too airy to bo trapped by the reporters, close .to the. speaker. It is alleged that they have de\ eloped a capacity to listen moie with their mouths than with their ears,- and certainly the w ide distension of the Hps supports that theory. The mouth may act in the manner of a megaphone to increase the cound. --in--other contention is 'that the old "maujuk" is a person who knows the Jeaflnute method of picking words by morcly watching the movements of lips.' By patient attendance at court, by closo study, ho has triumphed over those terrible "'accoustic properties." For- many months pressmen and depu- » tations, barristers and solicitors, havo inveighed against thoso defective "properties." Atler much agitation the authorities hung a couple of little red curtains on the ceiling, apparently in a faith that the gorgeousness of the colour might induce these, "properties" to be more icspectable, by setting them a tone to live up to. The cloth gather dust and microbes, but does not, nold the sound, 'lhia morning the voice of Sub-inspector O'Donovan, a few paces . away, was a pleasant role of fcyllabk's, soothing to the ear, but unintelligible. It was like tho refreshing murmur and "burblo" of a brook on a hot summer's day. It was not tho officer's fault ; be had the "aeoubtie properties" *o beat — an impossible task. After constant appearances at court, nature ccmes ' to the rescue of the listener, and his ear seems to impiove, but to a. stranger, who expects to hear clearly in a place known as "'tho people's court," there is a roll of voice, a levorberation, confusion, jargon. It is only onco in a long while that the aveiage man or woman wants to go to court, and when they do go they want to hear what is said about matters in which they are personally concerned ; but they aro denied the first essential of justice, an opportunity to clearly hear their case tried. Tho Victoria which arrived this afternoon from Sydney via Auckland and ooasfc, has on board 1600 cases of Californian oranges, ex Boveric from San Francisco, 'and also 728 cajes oi various •' assorted Auckland frnit. .