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Observer, Volume XL, Issue 6, 11 October 1919, Page 31

A Shoftie'll man #ht in France tells a story of his medical examination before a Board in England. His return was anxiouslj' awaited by his wife, as to how he had fared. Aβ soon as he entered the door she met him with this question: "How has ta gone on, Jack? I hope it's C 3!"

"No, it isn't C3—it's C Fritz!" was the reply.

'"Why are you in favour of Government ownership?" "I'm not exactly clear," replied the candid man. •'But I've a vague idea that I'd like to see some lines of business in the hands of elected officers who might try to make a hit by lowering prices instead of raising them."

What was described as one of the most extraordinary cases in the annals of the court of Hamilton, Engund, was before the justices when four young women, named Mary Smith, Jane Gribbon, Bessie Rae, and Arabella Gribbon, whose occupations were given as those of pithead or munition workers, were charged with brawling on a recent Sunday evening. It was explained that Mary Smith and Jane Gribbon "had words," and at a Saturday night dance the compact was. made that the pair would fight to a finish on the Sunday evening. The female pugilists, with their respective backers, met at the selected rendezvous on the outskirts of Hamilton, and for fully an hour pommelled each other for all they were worth. Blouses were, torn, skirts were ruined, and blood flowed For quite an hour, it was stated in evidence, the women battered away, and, gathered round the ring which the fighters and their seconds had formed, was a crowd moderately estimated at a thousand persons. Bessie Rao and Arabella Gribbon maintained that they were not the principals, but only the unfortunate peacemakers. Tin , justices imposed a fin*' of 20s. on each of the accused.