A BLOOMIN' LOAFER.

NZ Truth, Issue 151, 9 May 1908, Page 6

A BLOOMIN' LOAFER.

The Troubles of Two Elderly Persons,

Two elderly persons hurled hatred and 'defiance at each other m Christchurch Magistrate's Court recently,/ when Thomas Cornwall (no relation to the dook) charged Mrs Alice. Blood with using insulting language on the Riccarton-road, to wit, "You are a blanky loafer, and live on jfche girls you bring uv off the streets." t Alice : No ; I called him a bloomin' loafer. He's my brother-in-law, if you want $0 know. Cbrnwall regarded his relative with withering contempt and gave evidence as to the use of the objectionable words. Mrs Blood said, distinctly, "He takes girls off the streets and lives on them." "I never go pa^t without her giving me a turn, about something, or other," the witness explained to the -Bench. Once Mrs Blood had said something particularly atrocious about him, which a eentleman had taken down m a'black book. Unfortunately the gentleman was not m . attendance. The Clerk : Do you, want to ask him any questions ? j : , Alice : Yes ; did he. put hiifitongue out at me, and put. his.'fingers up. to his nose ? —No, I did not. • \ ..,.» "Ever since. my husband , died he been tormenting me," commented -.', -tlie lady, irrelevantly. ' ' "i..-.^. Cornwall : Didn't yov sayi "If vou "Cbrne down, I'll give you a damned htdiiig" •No. •-■■ ■■ lM f. Alice : Whenever he passes me —^itbrh the last six years^-he insults me. "!rJTO> The Bench : Are you related to hjniiJ??^ He married my lovely half-sister. o.; ; ,I&VP got two more sisters. (Suppressed expr^s sion' of indignation from tne auditorium).. The Clerk, to Cornwall : Have you any witnesses ?— I want to call witnesses ;to prd've I'm not a loafer. Ohf" you can't call them, Mrs Blood entered the Hvitness-box and told the Bench that she, wouldn't make use of the horrible worAs attributed to her. She merely called, him a blooming loafer, and he was one.. The case was dismissed, whereupon the contending parties jee*ed at each ottier m Court. Outside the "lovely half-pister"-made grimaces m tlie face of her relative and laughed derisively at her as she passed, with a section of her family, down the street. They have a hot time m (Dhristchurch sompftimes.