PROMOTED

Southland Times, Issue 20642, 14 November 1928, Page 3

PROMOTED

OLD MAN’S TROUBLES. RETURN TO LORNE FARM. The usual serious aspect of the court rom gave place to mild amusement yesterday morning when John Jones, a small grey-bearded man of 72 years, appeared before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., charged with being idle and disorderly in that he had insufficient means of support. Jones, who was an inmate of Lome Farm, left there last week and was apprehended in Dee street. He appeared in the Police Court and was remanded to enable the secretary of the Charitable Aid Board to furnish a report. When Jones re-appeared yesterday morning Sergeant Abel said that Mr Pryde had advised that Jones should be sent back to Lome. Jones, who was busily engaged masticating a sweet, interrupted by remarking: “1 had a good pruning knife but she took Continuing, the sergeant said that Jones wanted to go to Springhills where a friend of his had a hut. The Magistrate: You would be better in Lome Farm, Mr Jones. You could sit all day in the sun. Jones: I would sooner be in a hut. The Magistrate: You might take ill and who would look after you? You had better give Lome another trial. Jones: They will give me the life of a dog there. Mr Pryde, who had entered the court, said that Jones was not anxious to return to Lome but still wanted to go to Springhills. Sergeant Abel: If he goes to this hut can he look after himself? Mr Pryde: No one wants him out there in any case. He wants charge of the garden at Lome and I think he will go back quite willingly if we give him the position of head gardener. Jones: That will make it all right. They don’t know how to do anything out there. They cannot even dig . . . The Magistrate: Potatoes. Jones: They can eat them if some one else boils them. The Magistrate: Well you can go out and take charge. Jones: What will I get for doing that. The Magistrate: You will get a commission on the profits. Jones: I want sole charge. The Magistrate: That will be all right and you will get a new pruning knife. Jones: I don’t want a new knife. I want the one she has got. The charge against Jones was withdrawn and he departed to take U” his new duties, evidently weli satisfied with himself.