A LIVELY SCENE IN. COURT. CHRISTCHURCH, July 18.

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 11

A LIVELY SCENE IN. COURT. CHRISTCHURCH, July 18.

In the Magistrate's Court this morning a woman sued her husband for arrears on a maintenance order. As he had been out of work fdr some months the magistrate adjourned the case for a month to give the defendant a. chance to pay off the arrears. The two then retired to the gallery of the court, and the wife got her husband in the corner, .energetically belabouring him with her fists. He managed to escape, but she pursued him half way across the body of the court, furiously hitting at him befora she was secured. She almost overpowered the* first officer who took charge .of her, and} though,. a second policeman came to his assistance, the woman, who' had now become slightly hysterical, was with difficulty 'Overcome. "She ' Ricked and fought for. fre.edom 5 and' was tak&r into an ante; room, where she was detained until her paroxysm was exhausted. The solicitor who had defended her husband in court had aroused' Tier ire, and she made arrangements to ambuscade him on his way to his office. The legal gentleman took a circuitous' route from the' court to hia rooms, and was well on his way when a yell from behind, followed by a quick patter of feet on the asphalt, told him that he was discovered. An exciting race ensued, in which the solicitor managed to hold his own, and reached safety breath- ', less, but unharmed. The female relieved her feelings by smashing the windows in the Clarendon Hotel, for which she was promptly apprehended.

Mr and Mrs Morgan, of Palmerston North, have been selected aB bath attendants for the Government sanatorium at Rotorua. The Christchurch Press is informed that a writ for libel has been issued against the proprietor of tho Jiiilesmere Guardian newspaper at the instance of the proprietor of the Doyleston Hotel, claiming £300 damages in consequence of a report upon a disturbance whicl took place at that" hotel on the 13th Maj last.