COURT DIVERSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1931, Page 8

COURT DIVERSION

TROUBLES OF A GREEK COOK, SYDNEY, October 30Among the many cases dealt with by the Industrial Magistrate each day at Queen’s-square, few have the men of brightening proceedings sufficiently to bring them within the scope ot entertainment. Plain statements of fact concerning long hours of work for abbreviated pay, are taken down with monotoanous regularity, ana questions by counsel are answered in the orthodox way- Yesterday, however, a case in which some Greeks were concerned proved a pleasant diversion for the Court habitues and the magistrate alike, due chiefly to the limited vocabulary of the witnesses and their inability to grasp the full meaning of questions. Some amusing situations developed. The case concerned a claim for wages by an employee of two restaurant proprietors at Thirroul, who said he had worked as a cook without receiving pay. “A cook?” ask&d Mr Perry, S-M. “Yes,” complainant replied. “I cuke steak and de chop; wash dishees; no pay! ” Mr Perry: How long have you been in Australia? Witness: Seven years.

Mr Perry: Well, you ought to be able to speak English better than that.

The services of an interpreter were obtained, but his interpretations were drowned frequently by the excited talk of witnesses. The complainant said he was a builder by trade, which brought the observation from Mr Perry that all the Greeks who came to Australia —certainly all he had anything to do with—seemed to be cither fishermen or fruiterers. “Don’t they have anyone else in Greece—what about lawyers?” he asked. (Laughter). “I am no Greek; a Macedonian,” complainant repliedAnother witness, describing business methods in the restaurant, said that when he bought lib of steak he usually cut from it five “serves-,” two for customers, and the other three he put in the safe for next day. Counsel for complainant: What happens if it goes bad? Witness: I eat it myself. (Laughter). Witness added that the restaurant sold mostly fish, but he bought fish only once a week.