MISERABLE MOORE.

NZ Truth, Issue 169, 12 September 1908, Page 4

MISERABLE MOORE.

AN EX-PEELER'S PLIGHT. The Magistrate's Advice. Joseph Frederick Moore is an ex-Tas-manian copper, and, like post copmen, ■he is not particularly . fond d\ hard work, but prefers to let the missus do the work while he', loafs around and smokes and generally puts on •an air of importance. . > Now, Joseph Frederick's better half is named Uertha, and, for a number of years, she has kept a boarding-house m Dixon-street, which appears to be a favorite street for bbardjng-house trou- . bles judging from the number of cases which have 'been chronicled m this religious journal. Bertha has got TIRED OF SLUSHING AND SLAVING' for the ex-slop whilst/ he saunters round or goes nap on the bed all day long, and on' Monday the ex-copman appeared before Magistrate Riddell to show cause why he should not get work and maintain Bertha, who applied lor a summary separation from the ex-slop. Mr Percy Jackson appeared for complainant, and elicited r the information that, the ex-membpr of the force . had failed to ante-up any splosh for five years, and that though he had pottered about the kitchen for some time, he had done ne'er a stroke of work for three weeks, but had consistently . looked oh the beer while it was longi and had generally caused trouble among the boarders and servants. . ' Esther Berry, a young married lady wi^h dark eyes and hair, caused a fluttering m the hearts of several youthful pressmen' as she entered the witness-box. However, Esther^ quite captivated 'his Worship and the reporters by 'the clear, concise manner m which she gave her evidence. Esther said that the ex-slop was a nuisance m the house, especially when he was drunk. In reply to the ex-eppnian, Esther indignantly de- ! vied that she was m the kitchen on one occasion skylarking : with the -boarders, or tha.t she was giving the boarders ' afternoon tea and cake on the same occasjpii. Apparently the ex-slop objects to afternoon tea, ' HE PREFERS BEER, ' and long 'uns at that. Still, further replying to the now roused ex-policeman Esther rsaid, "I never advised your missus to. bring this action i You blamed u.j .Salvation . Army and Mrs Moore's sisteiHivlaw, now you blajnie rue*. You have 'never done a handfs this last three weeks and refused to anything- but get drunk." . For the defence, the ex-cop, said that he had worked on the wharf until eighteen months ago, and had given the missus all his brass, except two bob, which he kept for 'bacca money. It was at the missus' request that he left off work. He chucked up his job ho that he could help m the house. Three weeks ago ,Jie told the missus he was going to look for work, and would have had . a job that day but for the action. To Mr Jackson, the pot wolioper admitted that he took swankey occasionally,, but was not m the habit of getting drunk. He was not a nuisance about the house and he didn't llor.a r . "Indeed I get up at 5.30 m the morning : AND MAKE THE PORRIDGE, cook chops and steaks, clean windows, pee] potatoes, and wash up. I -am gcing at it hard until seven o'clock at night, except two hours m the afternoon, when I have a read. It is not a la'.y .life; it is harder work than any 1 ever I did on the wharf."

His Worship, m dismissing the ca<c without prejudice, advised the cx-copman to speedUy get work, and if he failed to contribute to his wife's support linn she could brinp; another action.