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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 316, 27 November 1875, Page 2

"■ — — ■■I.'. Mil ■■!_!_ '^' | _J A very excellent suggestion was made by Mr Penton at the Police Courl on Saturday laat (says the New Zealand ffefald) with respect to fhe treatment and punishment of drunkards. His Worship said he thought the old plan of punishment by confinement in the stocks, if again pat into operation, would act ia a salutary manner. Inspector Broham suggested that they should be made to sweep the streets, as in Berlin. The question is a, grave' one, and certainly, now that the old penalty of the lash is being revived wiihauch distinguished deterrent effect, that of the stocks might be tried, at least in the case of those old hardened offenders for whom imprisonment has no terrors. Darings the last great war, the crew of H.M.S. Flora were treated to a performance of " Othello " at the Portsmouth Theatre, but the conduct of the Moor to the gentle Desdemoba was opposed to all nautical ideas of what was due to lovely woman ; and a jolly tar, sliding down from the gallery over the boxes, dashed across tha pit towards the stage with a shout of " Hold ofl, you bloodthirsty nigger," and a vociferous demand to his brother, bluejackets to "clear the stage." No sooner said than done. Crash went fiddles and Hates, crack went tha footlights, and onwards went the crew, to the terrible alarm' of the representative of Othello, who flad in costume, dagger in band, through the streets, while the gentle Desdemona, for whose sweet sake all the tender feelings of the honest J ;ck tars had been aroused, was far more alarmed by the excitement of her would-be preservers thnn Bhe had ever been by a stage dagger. ;Never bad the laat act of Shakespeare's tragedy closed with such a terrific uproar. . ; . :

(For continuation of flews see Jourlh page")