LABOUR MAKES MERRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22250, 26 October 1935, Page 10

LABOUR MAKES MERRY

CARNIVAL INITIATED MOCK COURT IN PUBLIC CLERGYMEN PROSECUTED The Labour Party's queen carnival was initiated in a bright and merry manner at mid-day yesterday by a barrel-carrying competition up Hobson Street to the open area near the Town Hall, where a mock court was held and a large number of citizens were fined for offences created for the occasion. It had been planned to roll tho barrels but this form of athletic recreation might have caused traffic, problems. At all events tho barrels were carried but none of the grotesquely-dressed competitors bothered about trying to win. They sauntered along behind an advertising lorry and indulged in a great deal of good fooling which cheered up spectators. The base of operations was a building near the bottom of Hobson Street and as the men in fancy dress costume appeared and disappeared through the doorway passing marketers looked very astonished. A Motley Throng Here was a very red-faced staff officer wearing a khaki tunic that once had carried the badges of rank <bn its shoulder-straps, a genuine-looking cap with a red band, civilian trousers that had been through a hard winter and a high starched collar with a red tie that was not knotted in the regulation manner. It was a ridiculous turn-out. Near by was a slip of a thing in a grey dress with roll-down stockings who inquired in a gruff voice who was going to drive a certain bus. There were imitation firemen and sailors and a figure that might resemble an Italian soldier after he had had about five years of campaigning in Abyssinia. Others folloAved the darky minstrel vogue and others no vogue at all. They had adorned themselves as the spirit and costume limitations moved them. The Court of Justice The "black inaria" used for gathering prisoners was a small ana very ancient bus upon. the doors of which was a certain monogram. Before the start a man spread gum on the monogram and stuck half a page of the New Zealand Herald over it —upside down, too. So under the circumstances it was fitting that the Herald representative should ride in this conveyance behind the judge and officers of the mock court. It would, however, hardly be fair to say what the,monogram was. First to be hit over the bead by a balloon because he had not taken his hat off was Monsignor Holbrook. The Rev. W. W. Averill followed and there was much good-humoured banter not entirely free from politics which must be regarded a sign that the Labour Party by now has cut its political teeth. There was a day when this party had difficulty in mixing fun with politics. The judge was a red-bearded individual who emphasised his remarks by banging the prosecutor on the head with his balloon. The court crier was a "policeman" with cupid's bow lips and a ready wit. His method of swearing in the accused was to make him cut the cards. A poor cut resulted in an extra blow from the balloon but once the accused got his blow in first. The crowd enjoyed the fun.