IN SEARCH OF FRESH AIR

NZ Truth, Issue 1103, 20 January 1927, Page 6

IN SEARCH OF FRESH AIR

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) THE need for fresh air m large doses led to the appearance of William Fraser, an Australian who is but one milestone off three score years and ten, m the Auckland Magistrate's Court recently, on a charge of being idle and disorderly. Harbor board officials had seen him loitering about the waterfront,; and one night recently he got past one of them on the excuse that he wanted to get his coat, and remained on the wharves all night. William, evidently a gentleman who has seen better days, , explained that his bronchitis is so bad that he chokes insidp at night, and is compelled to wander m the cool night air m order to breathe m comfort. " You'd better choke m bed than go down to the wharf," was S.M. Hunt's unsympathetic comment. "Why don't you ge out m the backyard?" " Sometimes Igo up to Sir George Grey's statue and sit there till daylight," continued William. /'l'm a bit. of a composer and I compose poetry as well." The aged one also said that he was a sketch artist for the Sydney "Bulletin." "Well, go up One Tree Hill, and don't go down the wharves," said the magistrate. "I'll let you go if you promise to keep away from the wharves and about the streets." "I thank you, your worship," said William. "I more than thank you, your worship," and he departed to compose more lyrics on that lonely hill suggested by the bench.