ON PROVOCATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20644, 16 February 1929, Page 7

ON PROVOCATIONS.

A London magistrate has decided that, , a "H e to through her husband’s pockets is provocation not justifying assault, but liable to tend in that direcion. In ■ age of gallantry and good manners provocation was' a word that seemed to be much in vogue, and a breach of courtesy led easily to a man drawing Ins sword in defence of his honour (comments the Daily Telegraph). In our more enlightened- epoch we do not quarrel about who should take the wall. We jostle and are in our turn jostled with impunuity, Our manners are much worse, but oup tempers seem to be much better, than those of our ancestors. The provocation remains, but we are apt, either through timidity or disinclination, to make ourselves unpleasant, to content ourselves with a mild remonstrance. It is rare in these days for men to fling glasses of wine or gloves in each other’s faces, and the “ tweaking ” ( V beards is wholly out of fashion; but there are occasions of offence when we desperately desire some lawful code by means of which we could make our provocation felt. Provocations which we endure far too goodhumouredly and for which there ought to be immediate redress are infinite (continues the writer). The monstrous regiment of late comers, chocolate paper rustlers, and loud talkers in our theatres create provocation to assault so acute that lovers of the drama have taken to reading plays -at home rather than risk imprisonment. We would with equal willingness consign to the lowest circle of the inferno those who persist in reading the news aloud to us at breakfast, or, worse, lean over our shoiTtlers in order to share a joy that ceases to be one if not indulged in solitude. The noses of those ■who, without leave, smoke in no-smoking compartments, should be pulled, and those who tacitly assume ownership of both windows, either to exclude all air or to create a hurricane, should be laid with other light articles on the rack o r ’ with the more cumbersome umW the seat.