CHEWING PROHIBITED

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11664, 31 October 1923, Page 6

CHEWING PROHIBITED

IX LADIES 1 GALLERY. SUPREME COURT INCIDENT. An occasional “Take vour hat off,** in peremptory tones, is heard, directed against offending male spectators in the Supreme Court, but it is indeed seldom that a member of the opposite sex errs against convention and court etiquette, and docs not treat that body with the decorum and sense of respect which i? its time-honoured due. This happened, however* during thi heaving of a criminal case yesterday. A woman came in and took a seat in that gallery reserved specially for her sex, and, occupying a front bench, whiled away the time by vigorously chewing This went on for some time, the good woman apparently oblivious to the fact that she was the subject of comment in tho lower portion of the court, where the efforts of the fair one were watched with considerable interest by an officer of the law. The offender, presumably addicted to an American habit, which fortunately has not made itself seriously felt in this country*, was not a little surprised to suddenly find a policeman l>ehind her. Tito chewing gradually subsided, the bnsr of sweets was reluctantly put away, and tho court proceeded with its usual dignified decorum.