IN SILK ATTIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 307, 27 December 1924, Page 7

IN SILK ATTIRE.

CHRISTMAS SPREE OF GOMAZ THE LASCAR. Like Kipling's hero in the thrilling story "The Incarnation of Krishna Jlulvaney," Gomaz arrayed himself last night in a silken (or partly bo) robe, and went on his way rejoicing, back to his palace. As a matter of fact it was only a bunk on the big tramp steamer that is tied up to Princee wharf, but for the nonce Gomaz was a prince in his own right. He did not hide the highly-coloured garment under his arm or his coat as a common European thief or water-rat would have done. Hβ threw it gracefully over his champagnebottle shoulders, and wore it flauntingly before all men. Although, as he stood in the dock at the Police Court this morning, Gomaz was only a little, narrow-chested, peaked-faced Lascar fireman, a prohibited immigrant, and a person accused of theft, he did not act like a common thief. Oddly enough in the small knot of people that gathers of necessity at the Police Court on the morrow of a Christmas holiday, there was one who had a smattering of Hindustani, which was fortunate, as little Gomar only knew enough English to get him into trouble. Constable Birch, who had worn His Majesty's uniform in India, had learned to "sling the hat" to some extent, and although he did not profess to have a sadhu's knowledge of the language he knew enough to straighten out the silken episode in the career of coal-begrimed Gomaz. According to the story of the little fellow he wandered into one of the restaurants down by the waterfront, saw the waitress' cloak (with a brilliant silk lining)' lying on the seat neNt to him, and he eimply put it on his shoulders —and hie thin expressive hands were drawn over his shoulders in the pantomimic way natives have to show exactly what be did with the robe. "The coat was lying beside mc I put it on," was the Bimple explanation of Gomaz, and he looked round the strange court as much as to say:: "What else was there to do -with, it?" But the Occidentally-minded justices of the peace simply said "Fined £2," and ordered Gomaz to be placed on board his steamer. Gomaz explained through his airateur interpreter that he had but five shillings in all the world. He was told that the ''Kumpani" would no doubt pay hia fine, and so the possible descendant of princes, wlio had arrayed himself in the vaitrtss' silken garment, limped from the court—his predilection for silk gesting that he may in the dim pa<* have held a court of hia am. "^ejH