JEST IN EARNEST.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5484, 12 September 1879, Page 3

JEST IN EARNEST.

Many of the venerable gentlemen wl?o so learnedly dispense justice and interpret law on the Bench are inclined to like their little joke. Innumerable instances arc on record where ■ his Honor has mitigated tho tedium of the sitting by some facetious remark which has set the court, ! counsel, jury, witnesses, down to the officers, in fits of laughter, which are aa duly reported "instantly suppressed." Mr Justice Denman seems to be one of these light-hearted pundits, and in a case which came before him lately, in the .Com. non Plea Division of the High Ccurt of Justice,-; he certainly found good material > 'for - making funny remarks. The - action was one by which the husband of a female acrobat, who went under: the name of Leona Dare — the two being now separated — sought to recover art " apparatus," or the value of it, by the aid of which she used to perform some wonderful " aerial feats." On the plaintiff remarking that he did not know what it would cost him to telegraph to America, but that they had charged him 7s for a single word— Mr Justice Denman remarked, I hoped they treated you better than they did me. I was telegraphed to, ( Don't come/ what was sent was ' Come }' that was in Australia." The last few words contained a hint for telegraphists in these parts. Again, a witness being called a gymnast, who gave his name as Marfcinetti ; his Honor said " You are Martin really I suppose 1 * On the witness replying tersely "Martinetti," the funny Judge remarked, "Oh! that is because you tumble in nets I suppose." This of course caused great fun. It seemed that Leona Dare was also called "Pride of Madrid" and "Queen of the Antilles" having different names in different places. She was engaged at the Oxford at £70 a -week, on whioh the Bench remarked that it was even better pay than a barrister got. On another witness mentioning that he had performed with Mdme. Senyah, " the original lady," and that she hailed from London, the ; judge said " I see, ' Haynes ' spelt backwards." On the conclusion of the performance, which resulted in an order for the return of the machine, which was assessed at £100, his Honor incidentally adverted to the introduction of the trapeze into England, and that it would have been perhaps as well if it had never been introduced at all. He did not see what loss it would have been if the gentlemen thoy had before them (the acrobatic witnesses) had turned their attention to tho Bar or the Church, positions for which no doubt they would have been very well qualified. Mr Justice Dennan evidently knows his way about, and he would be a dangerous character to chaff — putting aside his judgment.