A FAMILY JAR.

NZ Truth, Issue 214, 31 July 1909, Page 6

A FAMILY JAR.

A Chappel-street Corroboree.

A row between the Homings and the Ayres m Chappel-strcet, Ohristchurch, recently, led to a charge of slangwid&c against William Horning later m the S.M. Court. Both mcii were young and clean shaven, and there is -some relationship between their respective missusscs, although the love that is lost between them just now would't cover the tip of a guinea pig's tail. James Ayres, who said he was a laborer employed . by the City Council, told the Court that Horning called at his domicile at 8 p.m. on July 1-0, and started to play up with his mouth. Ayers opened the door cautiously, and asked, "What do you want to see me about?" Horning, Scawtch-like, answered the question by asking another one. "What have you been telling my wife about me ?." he queries. Ayres said he had told Mrs Horning that he had seen her husband talking to prostitutes, "and so he was," concluded Ayres. Thereupon Horning rushed on to the verandah with a stick m his hand, and Ayres was compelled. to beat a hasty retreat into the bouse, the door of which he : closed after him. Thereupon Horning made use of the revolting remarks- mentioned m the charge. "He called me a dirty, blanky blank," said Ayres, "and said "he would knock my blanky brain-box m." Ayres sent for the police. The witness assured Mr Donnelly (for the defence) that he had no bad feeling towards Horning. If this man's wife says that you wanted her to sign a bogus order on the Post Office, is that true ?— No, it's not. Ayres stated, further that when the row occurred, the wife of Ayres Avas present, but; Homing's missus was out. If this mau's wife says that it was you who used this obscene word m the charge it would be untrue, of course ? — Yes. Did he ask you to pay him the' money you owe him ?— Certainly he did not. Stella Ayres, wife of- the last witness, was m the house when her ears were assailed by the dreadful expressions hurled into space by Horning, and which SHE MODESTLY WROTE DOWN. In reply to Mr Donnelly's question ol whether the" woman and Her husband had not stopped at Homing's place and practically lived on him, she scornfully replied "XMo." You had accommodation for nothing ''.—■ I was looking after his children. Speaking to Beak Bailey, she said she was m the kitchen when the language was used, and that room was some distance from the front door. Mr Donnelly, who described the disturbances as a "family jar," called Mrs Catherine Horning. She said it was quite true that she had been asked to sign ttie Post Office order for Percy Hammond, and her husband went round to the Ayres establishment to demand an explanation. The witness accompanied him, and stood five or six yards away from hubby, who didn't use the brutal words described to, him. He never at anytime uttered sueh 1 - language, but Ayres himself had made use of the expressions. In reply to Sub-Inspector McGrath, Mrs Horning said that her husband had asked Ayres when he was going to pay the grocer's account for things he had ordered m the name of Horning. It was probable that Ayres didn't see her as she was standing near the fence, and he was standing on the verandah. Ayres's reply to her husband's question was some obscene language, and he uttered some lies about Horning. Horning corroborated the fact that his wife was with him at the time, and he denied using the obscene expressions. Horning explained that Ayres had rooms with him, and three weeks after he (Ayres) left he obtained groceries ' practically under false pretences m Homing's name. Horning asked him when ha was going to pay the account. "I told him to come outside," said the indignant Horning, "and I'd ram the lies he told my wife down his throat." Ayres responded, "Go away, you blanky mon-, grel," using an obscene expression. Horning presumed that Ayres sent for the police because 'he was afraid of getting a thrashing. "He deserved a thrashing," said the energetic accused, "and I might have given it to him if I got a chance." Owing to the conflicting evidence, the the S.M. decided to dismiss the information, j