'ARRY OR 'ARRIET?

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 95, 23 April 1889, Page 5

'ARRY OR 'ARRIET?

A NEW ZEALAND GIRL TRIES TO ENLIST AND GETS LOCKED UP.

Harriet Muir, described in the charge sheet as an actress, appeared before Mr Hannay ab Ivlarlbro-street Police Courb one morning last month, charged wibh disorderly behaviour, by appearing in male abbiro ab tho St. George's Barracks, Hemminga Row. Tho 'woman, as she stood in the dock, wibh her hair cut short, and dressed in a black jacket, dark trousers and white silk nock clobh, would have passed anywhere for a respectable young man. She was unusually tall for one of her sex, and splendidly builb. Her smooth face, notwibhstanding her fine proportions, made her look a very young "man." Sifabing or standing she seemed every inch a well-grown boy, bub the momenb she walked her disguise was fubiie; no iad&Jf her size ever walked wibh such short ifaick steps or with that peculiar gait due to the restraining action of fashionable feminine, abbire. In complexion she was between dark and fair, and was bhe possessor of decidedly pretty features, as well as a superb figure. Sergeanb-Major Kaln.au said that Harriet presented herself on Tuesday afternoon ab bhe Sb. George's Barracks for enlistment:. Although she answered the usual questions satisfactorily, th©_6 was something in her behaviour thab. yonsed tho sergeant's suspicions, and h,s immediately sent her bo the doctor. She then promptly admitted her sex. A constable was sent' for, bub she was not given into custody at once, bub was requested bo leave the barracks. This she did, bub outside caused a large crowd to assemble by refusing te go away. Eventually she was taken to tha police station. Mr Newton, for the^^^aice, explained thab the prisoner's fabhei*«_%s a farmer-Sat", Christchurch, New Zealand, About foufr years ago she ran away from home, and bad i been earning her living since as an actress.

Lasfa week she came to London from Bristol, where she had been acting. Her object was to geb back to her parenbs in New Zealand, and in furtherance of bhis she bad visited the docks, and tried bo get a position as sbeward on board a New Zealandbound vessel. Finding, however, bo her morbificabion, that she did not know enough of cooking, etc., to obbain such a place, she, in despair, debermined bo enlisb.

MrHannay remarked that if she had enlisbed she would have found herself in an exbremely awkward position.

Mr Newbon admitted bhab it was very foolish to atbempb such a thing, but asked bhe magisbrate to pub her back till the afternoon, as he was insbrucbed by her friends that someone would be in attendance with clothes more suitable to her sex. Arrangements were being made to send the young lady back to her father by an early steamer. Mr Hannay agreed with Mr Newton's proposition and Harriet was put back till the afternoon, She will probably be sent out- by the direct steamer to-day under some assumed name so as not to attract attention.