A FISHY AFFAIR.

NZ Truth, Issue 104, 15 June 1907, Page 5

A FISHY AFFAIR.

BARRY'S BAD BREAK.

An Hoary-Headed Joke

Is Responsible for Much Trouble.

An indecent joke, hoary with age, was resurrected m Wellington last Saturday evening, andf 'incidentally caused the conviction, for obscene language, of a yomth named Michael Barry, who is m the employ of Briscos, llcNeiil and Co. Appears tbat Barry,, with two others named William J. Carring ami Walter Greenfield, were boisterously happy m town on one small shandy and went down to Lamb-ton. Quay to M sec Fuller's come out." The peculiar attraction possessed by, this spectacle was not explained, tout the trio decided to have a fish supper and went, along to the "Bodega" for that purpose. On the way there the obscene jokelet already mentioned was uttered ami overheard by Constable Lefevre, who was passing, m plain clothes. He warned the! youngsters,' who gave back "slack," and he arrested Barry for using obscene language. The cross-examination by, Mr Wilford will indicate the line of defence taken up. Where were you spending the evening ?~ On duty. In plain clothes ?— -Yes. "Were you at'&>lbirthdav party ?— No. You know the window at the "Bodega"—'did you nearly go tJrrougjh it ?— No.: Dr. McArthur : Are you going to bring evidence to support ihds. Mr Wilford replied, m the affirmative.. Dr. McArthur :■ You. know allegations of this fctod are often made and no evidence is given m support of them. Mr Wilford said that although, very SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST . THE POLICE were often mad© to him by has clients, nine-tentihs of them wer.e not mentioned by him m Court. The witness explained that be had taken Barry from the passage of the "Bodjega." He gave the false name of Findlay. Did you hear the word "flounder" mentioned by the young men ?— No. ' Did you hear any fish mentioned? -Y©s. Barracoota ?— No. Shark ?— No. Sea-serpent ?--Nb. i His Worship : Mr Wilford is fishing. Mr Wilford : I haven't got a bite yet. The orderly : Silence k Hapuka. ■?— Yes, that's it. Constable Hitchcock, who happened to be m the vicinity, stated that he had heard "hapuka" mentioned, but not "soles." , / ' •Barry, Greenfield, and Carriag- igjave evidence for the defence, and testified to the substance of the remarka'bl-e conversation with cheerful unanimity} Greenfield is alleged to have said, I "What is there- for supper ?" Barry repMed something atoout flounders and soles, and it was contended tbat the prosecution <had ingeniously distorted the last remark into an-inde-jcency. The witness implied, further, that the arresting constable • ! DID NOT WALK STRAIGHT, and had threatened to clip one of them over i)h'o ear. It was elicited hy the police thai} the three had met on Sunday and 'talked the 1 matter over. Dr. McArthur saidj 'he -did not credit •tine evidence : given against th-a-t of the two constables. He did not believe a word of tfoe youths' story. Mr Wilford : That is what I "told them, sir. Dr. MoArthur said Mr Wilford had no right to do so. He ought to be ashamed of himself. Then followed a somewhat heated .dialogue between, the magistrate and counsel. His Worship imputed to Mr Wilford the inference (conveyed to the m-eh-)! that if they canie to the Court they .would, not get justioe. Mr Wdlford said they w v ere at cross purposes,, which -Ms Worship denied. Mr Wilford said, too had informed the men that if they pitted their evidence against that of the two con-stables, they would have no chance. .Dr. McArthur appealed to the Bar, and Mr Myers said no member of the Bar bad the right to question a magistrate's decision, except through the Court of Appeal. Mr Wilford characterised this as a piece of impertinence on tho part of Mr Myers. , , •.-.'... .. His Worship difier-ed. Mr Wilford r. It is an impertinence 1 , not to you, sir, but to me. . His Worship said he would not have young fellows coming into the Court and perjuring themselves. Mr Wilford : They have ©ol| as clean characters as the constables. Sub-Inspector O "Donovan said' the police had • refrained from making ifir ijjjiry * respecting the character of the young men. / His Worship fined Barry 20/, or 7 days' imprisonment.

The well-known sporting writer, Mr T. Fletcher, "Moturoa," in 'the ''Taranaki 2>adly News," has had tine misfortune to have iris eyesight impaired and ,ih<is been aidvis&d ta go to Melbourne to consult ' a specialist there. He took passage by the Moeraki last Saturday. Socialist Robert Hogg mentioned with . modesty on Sunday that the railway workers had employed member Hornsby, of Wairarapa, to barrack for certain reforms. Hornsby kept putting them off and putting them off, and nothing was done till they came to Robert Hogg, who prepared a petition which was signed by rvery railway worker, *with the exception •of one, and the result was that the Government had granted an increase of 6d per day m wages to workers, and £30 a year increase to certain stationmasters. The unspeakable nerve o" Hogs to claiming credit for the reform will be realised when it is known that.it was Horn&by who worried Hail-Jones into a bed of sickness by his ceaseless demands on behalf of the railway men, and it was he who advised the\ signing of a petition by the men. Hogg, who appears to have drafted the document, deserves as much credit for the increase m screw, as the man who; made the pen used m writing . it, or the bookseller who sold the ink.. Those who know Hornsby know that he is a man who does things, and compels things to be done, as Ministers know to their cost. He doesn't sit around waiting for a Socialistic millennium to happen alon^