MARIE CORELLI AND HER SUGAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4814, 11 March 1918, Page 3

MARIE CORELLI AND HER SUGAR.

FINE FOR STOCK OF 1831 b AT HER STRATFORD HOME.

“I AM A PATRIOT,” SHE SAYS. Miss Marie Corelli, who pictured ‘‘The Sorrows of Satan,” was fined £SO and £2l costs at Stratford-on-Avon for a store of sugar. The defence was that the sugar was used for jam making. It was stated that Miss- Corelli, whose household consisted of seven persons, was able to obtain sugar locally, and from Lipton, Limited, in London.

There were three separate informations for purchasing sugar in excess of. reasonable requirements—during September and November, said Mr Snagge, who prosecuted. He added jhat he did not propose to pin Miss Corelli down to half a pound a week, but people were on their honor not to exceed 'jdpit amount. On this basis Miss Corelli’s household was entitled, during the period named, to thirty-two pounds of sugar, but she had obtained 183 pounds, independently of preserving sugar to which she was entitled. Miss Corelli, he went on to state, was one of those people 1- who were able to obtain sugar from two different sources—she was able to buy locally and at the same time she was obtaining sugar from London; but he did not impute that Messrs Lipton, Limited, knew that she was purchasing from local shopkeepers. After evidence of sugar purchases had been given, a police constable described his reception at Mason Croft, Miss Corelli’s house, when lie went to see her about large deliveries of tea and sugar. “I hear you have been accusing me' of hoarding,” said Miss Corelli to the police constable. “It has come to a fine thing if women cannot live in their homes without being intererfed with by the police.” The officer replied that during the month 831 b of sugar and 431 b of tea had been signed for by the butler. To this, said the officer, Miss Corelli exclaimed, “It’s a he. The tea has not been delivered here. I should have no use for that quantity. Besides, lam a patriot and would not think of hoarding. I think you police are overstepping your duty in visiting my house. You are upsetting the country altogether with your food orders and what not. Llodv-George will be resigning tomorrow, and there will be a revolution in England in less than o week.” In Court Miss Corelli said there were nine persons in the house, not seven, and Miss Bertha Vyner, who manages her hxmsehold affairs, said they had made a large quantity of jam, the extra sugar being used for that purpose. Mr Joy. who defended; said the amount of jam made was 4751 b. He submitted that the food order did not applv to sugar used for home-made productions such as jam and marmalade. There had been no secrecy in this case. The magistrates bv a majority convicted Miss Corelli on one summons and dismissed the others. In addition to the £SO fine £2l costs was ■Wed to be paid. The Bench stated a case for appeal.