A LADY'S BLOUSE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12857, 18 December 1912, Page 2

A LADY'S BLOUSE.

WAS IT A MISFIT

CASE OF INTEREST TO WOMEN

A case of peculiar interest to women was dealt with in the New Plymouth Court when the question of whether a blouse was a fit or ia misfit came up for .decision. Experts differed, and the vexed question proved altogether beyond the ken of both magistrate and counsel who freely confessed that the technicalities of feminine apparel were completely beyond them. The case- was one in which Edith Oldham, of Mangbrei, sued Harrie Kate Cant, dressmaker, New Plymouth, for alleged 'breach of contraot, stating that defendant had failed to make a proper j blouse, out of materials .supplied by her. thereby rendering the said materials worthless for a .blouse. She also alleged that she had paid defendant the sum of 15s in cash, and supplied trimmings and extras; to the value of £1 Os lid. The blouse was a misfit. Dam- i ages to the amount of £2 4s lid were.j claimed. The first check occurred when plaintiff explained that she had not ordered the sleeves to ibe nut In "Magyar," j which she did not find out ihad beep, done, on first trying on, as she did not j "stand before a mirror." When she' did find this out she went to the dressin akor to have it refitted with "two seam" sleeves, "LIKE YOUR COAT, MR. JOHNSTONE," . instead of the '"Magyar]' ones, which were too tight to drive in. Aceo Ito witness the dressmaker had refused to "try on" a second time. .She then, went to her solicitor, and the result of \ this interview was ia letter, in which the garment in question was described as "irretrievably ruined." ' ' His Worship decided that the best >vay to arrive at a decision was for the lady to put on the blouse for his inspection. Witness accordingly retired with two d/essmakers in attendance, and shortly'afterwards returned to her place in the witness-box wearing the "blouse. Counsel for the defence complimented witness on the. appearance of the ;blouse. Witness, however, proceeded to point out the defects from her point of view. The sleeves were cut too high, the tucks in the back did not lie properly, the yoke was not cut right, raid the collar was too tight; the garment was also cut "on the cross," and not straight, as ordered; the result was that the Mouse was I A FAILUE, BUT NOT AN UTTtER ONE". Counsel for the plaintiff then caH<vl Mrs. Florence Pott, who said that the blouse w>as a badly made one1, made a size too small all round, the yoke bulged in several places .and that i+, was too tight in the back. " I would not care to go out in that blouse," she continued, "and I never 'heard of ian evening blouse bfing cut,on the cross." Asrainst this evidence Mi1. Johnston© out'two expert dressmakers into the box, who. each said that the blouse was n reasonably well made one, but was a bit too tight across the back. Mrs. M. B. Golding, the.second witness, stated that the wrinkles in the back .were natural in an Uttlined blouse. . '.Mrs. Oldham still persisted- that the blouse did not come <up to her require ments, -which drew from 'Mr. Jo'hnstone the remark: " I gather' tfrom your demeanour that YOU ARE VJERY PARTICULAR ABOUT YOUR CLOTHES, and blis Worship ejaculated \" What lady isn't? " ; ■". Can't you,wear it? " continued" the Magistrate, to which the Lady replied that .it w-as too tight.to drive, in, ibut '-that any blouse would look well with * the: ibeautif ul trimming there was on it. "If you lived in New Plymouth," persisted -his .Worship. " would you consider it unsuitable? " ," But I don't live in New_ Plymouth," replied, the lady^ "what mngbit Ibe suitable for town wear might be quite unsuitable for country use," . \. \ •Mr. Johnstone, in addressing his Worship, said' that be considered that the case was a trivial one. Aippiarently, according to expert evidence, the only thing wrong w.as that the blouse was .too tight in the back, and he would on beba-lf of his client, guarantee that this should be rootified 'by 10i30 the nex* morning:. His Worship said that he could not .cr-o much w.rong with the .blouse. Mrs. Oldhaim' had not told Miss 'Cant that p-^p wanted the blouw for drivine in. Witnesses bad agreed that islie blouse was too tight across the back, 'but this was a matter which could1 easily bo altered, and would' not cost more than Is 6d for material. Under the circumshancea he thought that the rplajntiff should be awarded ss, iand judgment was given accordingly. No costs were allowed.