FUNNY FINES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6072, 8 January 1898, Page 7

FUNNY FINES.

(Tit Bits.) Some very extraordinary fineß. have from time to time been imposed upon offenders of all ranks and degrees of offence, but perhaps the following are the more conspicuous : — For instance, in Italy there is a law which inflicts a fine 0f..£100.0n any circus proprietor whose performance does not include every item mentioned on his programme, as it is. considered thatthe public is mislod by omissions of items announced for presentation, and that the penalty is therefore deserved. In Scotland there are variouß temperance hotels whero any visitor retuniing.home after midnight is subjected to a fine of- a shilling, and the same custom exists in several small hostelries in Wales. In a detective agency in the West End of London, the management hare instituted the very praiseworthy practice, of fining any member of the staff who indulges in strong language. For each' offence a certain penalty is ex&cted,.and-at the end of the year the total amount collected goes to a charitable institution. In a very large drapery establishment in one of the northern towns, any young lady who is discovered wearingwhatis called a "fringe" is at once mulcted in a small fine, and should the offence be repeated, the amount of the fine is doubled. This seems rather an arbitrary penalty, but as the young ladies know the rule on the subject, there is small excuse for those who disobey. In Paris there is a olub composed almost exclusively of Frenchmen, who-possess-so great a detestation of Germany and Germans, that any memberwho-ever makes the slightest reference to anything TetttoD is liable to a considerable fine. It seemti rather hard, perhaps, on the unwary oneß, for few men can speak for any considerable time about art, literature, or science without at some time or other making a- refer- - ence to German authorities, but all the same the rule exists, and as far as the writer knows, it will remain as long as-the club endures.