A FLAPPER'S TALL.

NZ Truth, Issue 472, 4 July 1914, Page 3

A FLAPPER'S TALL.

Joy-riding Gent. Still Jinks the "Johns." Mother of the Meandering Maiden in^ Trouble; ; (From "Truth's" Christchurch Jtep.) Since the muddle of last month, when the Christchurch John Hop Department collected an alcoholically Withered flapper of fifteen, who had been emptied <"• out of a buzz car ,at night after a'Sunday/ joy ride to Kaiapoi with a male chum and another female of ' certain virtue, the pious portion of the flat city's population has' been writhing: like a boy whose innards were full of green quinces. During the whole time which the ) police have been inquiring into the case, rendered the more complex by the hosi tility of the principal parties concerned, combined Wowserism has exhorted every means to spur the law on m its endeavors to lay by the heels the' cloven-hoof edV emissary of Mephistopholes, who poured the whisky into the apparently willing juvenile. Having had their say and discovered that, m spite of any outside opinion on tap/ the police intended to play the game off their own bat, Wowserism heaved' several sighs of several: sizes, waved its gamp, and subsided with a feeling of . confidence that it would make a notch m its stick and RIGHT ANOTHER -WRONG at the next election. The girl whose untimely muzziness caused all the bother came before Beak Bishop again last Saturday, charged -with not being under proper control. Lawyer Frank Johnstone, on behalf of the fair flapper, asked for a further remand. He reckoned that he wanted to nose around concerning the character and bona fides of a relative who had offered to take charge of the youngster,, and 'so keep her out of the home. Such a course, he considered/ would be m the girl's interests.

The S.M. thought so too, and reckoned there was strong prima facie evidence that the girl's ma was not a proper person .to control any sweet young 1 thing.

The Sub-Inspector said the mother refused "absoloot" to give aiy information about the girl or her, relatives. From his subsequent remarks, it appeared plain that a good deal of the evidence m the case against the girl, if it were heard, -would concern the maternal parent's mode of knockIng up a crust' and would not advance the girTs interests the littlest bit. The remand was granted, Lawyer Johnstone being called upon to fossick around for clues of the prospective guardian's character, and to report to j the police so that they could size, things up on their, own hook. , The, girl, m tho meantime, was stowed away m the Salvarmyome. The male party fn tho case, so far, has ' ■'....-..'". ■ " '. ELUDED THE "GLAUMERS" of the local John Department, although it is whispered m some-circles, which : generally know as much, or more about these things, than.the. police, do, that the wanted one was a vaudevillian connected with a Yankee turn which recently had a run m Christchurch. Others say that he Is still m,. Christchurch, but the police' keep their collective reckonings up their sleeve, and say-- nothing, except that develop-' ments are pending. And when this statement is sized up it's just about worth believing. ' On Monday morning, Sergeant Davy Jackson, with a smile which would have done credit to the first cut from, a leg of mutton, paraded the fallen flapper's mother and aunt before Mr. H. W. Bishop, S.M., and charged the aunt, -Mary Ann- McKenzio, with keeping a brothel between June 3.4 and 17 at Hawdon-street, Sydcnham. Grace Manson, the mother ,of the girl at the bottom of all the bother, was charged with assisting m tho management of the Hawdon-street joint. Henry Johnstone and Albert Voss Williams were charged with being found m tho Haw-don-street domicile m company with PERSONS OF A PECULIAR : \ REPUTE. , The whole catch wero put into tho, dock one* at a time, and each pleaded not guilty. . . Sub-Inspector McKinnon asked for an adjournment until Wednesday/and: said »that Grace Manson, the girl's; mother, had intended going south tor see her relatives m connection with finding a home for her taxi-inclined daughter. "Do you think a woman charged with this offence should bo delegated with power to arrange a homo for tho girl?" queried tho S.M.. Mr. Johnstone pointed out that the home would be with relatives, with whom he would communicate. I Tho S.M. reckoned that a woman with such a charge hanging over her was not a desirable person to provido a homo for the girl, until 'nor innocence was proved, at any rato. Lawyer Johbstono, ono of the few local "Costs" with enough pluck to pull up an S.M. when necessary, remarked that a womun was not required to prove her innocenco. It rested with tho police TO PUOyE HER GUILT. Tho S.M. (warmly): Don't twist my words, Mr. Johnstone. I said, "until her innocenco is proved." That might bo proved by tho weakness of the case for tho prosecution. Tho remand until Friday was ultimately arranged, and each of the accused was allowed ball m sureties of £ 100. During the day a deposit of £50 was accepted as ball for tho two shemales. Later m the week the ladles called on "Truth" and mentioned ■ that, m fairness to themselves, it might be stated that, whatever tho outcomo of tho Magistrate's Court proceedings might be, tho fact remained that they were quite innocent of any unconventional behavior, and that, on account of their relationship to tho flapper at the bottom of the whole trouble, they were being made tho victims of an over- zealous "foorco."