ENJOYING A WHIFF.

NZ Truth, Issue 181, 5 December 1908, Page 6

ENJOYING A WHIFF.

A Drama on a Tram-car..

There doesn't seem to be any regulation m Christchurch about smoking, on the roof of double-decker cars. In .Wellington and other villages smokers are consigned, by printed notice, to the rear . of the trolly-poje standard, and women-, sit there at their peril. In Ohristchurchi women have to accept all responsibility if they sit anywhere on top of a secondrstoreyed tram, and the . circumstance led, to a little- drama on the .ll, a.m. New Brighton tram on a recent Sunday. The woman m this case . was sitting to leeward .of a person with a pipe, a spark from wfeich :a- v lighted :upon the lady's flimsy ' "pneumonia" blouse, one of those open-work things that women seem to be able to wear without discomfort m all weathers. The tram was going , at top and a : : fierce preeze fanned the fire into a namer which the woman' found to be- unreasonably warm. Of course, it was put bi(jt m a jifiy, with assistance, but the rpal fire occurred immediately afterwards. The unfortunate male person with the/ pipe appeared to be too paralysed to speak, and the injured female hurled huivks of scorn and insult at him. He had *>ne or two more men with him who sfcarcid m his disgrace. "Those things !" -said the injured female, indicating „ THE COWERING PERSONS. IN TROU-

SERS. ! "I wouldn't mind if they were •gentlemen." The unfortunate people wiijih whiskers, looked as though they would! like a tram accident to occur., The lady- didn't appear to be sure from whose pipe the disastrous spark had /flown. "A genftieman would, have apologised," ' remarked the burnt female, gathering fresh breath. "You are not gentlemen," she said, with indignation, "and more especially thing m the sjsraw hat." At this stage another lady, who had been moving m her seat . with considerable uneasiness, gave expression to a scornful snor-t. Facing the woman, whose hlouse had been extinguished, she said : "You— 'you", (here she paused, failing to find a fitting opprobrious epithet to hurl at the enemy). "H«'s my husband," affirmed the second woman. "What right have' you to call him a thing ?" The fiery 1 conversation that followed nearly set tine -whole top of the car en fire, and 'the conductor f£azed anxiously at , the overhead wire m ear of contact, there be/ng so much electricity m the : aU\ There/ appears to be some necessity for a regulation m Christchurch placing a huge s/jace between Huf-fily-dressed females and : the inconsiderate male who make;? a chimSney of his month.