In the Dominion

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 150, 25 June 1929, Page 8

In the Dominion

Hat on in Court When a witness in the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court put on a hat the Court crier for once remained silent. The witness had not broken Court etiquette but was giving the Justices a demonstration in how certain hats in dispute fitted him. Witness was plaintiff in an action against a hat-cleaning firm and claimed that the headpiece that was eventually returned to him was not the one sent away to get cleaned. Law and Medicine “A doctor is more prone to beliere his patient than a lawyer is to believe a witness,” said Mr Justice Frazer in the course of a case heard at the Arbitration Court at Timaru. “A man goes to the doctor to get himself better, whereas he goes to the lawyer to get the better of someone else.” Careless Tenant The carelessness of a tenant has landed a Takapuna property-owner in a heavy liability for wasted water. The owner has his house subdivided into two flats, one of which was let. While the owner was away in hospital the tenant of one of the flats left without notice. Nobody entered the flat for many weeks, and when a borough officer came to read the water-meter it was found that a tap had been left running in full current, with the result that a charge of more than tod was due for the quantity registeredSeeing that the Borough Council has to pay Dcvonport a fixed rate for the bulk supply it will have a delicate problem to consider when it comes to deal wltn the expected appeal of the propertyowner for reduction of the liability imposed upon him. Mother Misses Son

An aged Indian woman stood weeping quietly on the deck of the Marama when the vessel arrived at Auckland from Sydney. In response to a message from her son she had left heT home in the Punjab to join him in Auckland, and she arrived here only to find that he had left for Sydney by the Ulimaroa last Friday to meet her. The two vessels passed at sea last Sunday morning. The woman’s plight was no small matter. She cannot speak English, and only the presence on board the Marama of a man who knew her tongue enabled her position to be understood. Her son is Sunda Singh, who has settled in Auckland, but she does not know the whereabouts of his family. Efforts are being made to locate them for her, and a message is to be sent to Sunda Singh telling him of his mother’s arrival. Killed the Goose

It is a sad fate that lies in store for anyone who kills the goose that lays the golden eggs. There is in Wellington the son of a London millionaire who is endeavouring to make a living as a salesman (states the Dominion). A few short years ago this young man announced to his father in London that he desired to get married. “Bless you my son,” said the father, “get married as soon as you pleasu and call upon me for everything you require.” The wedding was duly celebrated, but imagine the father’s feelings when he discovered that he had to pay out £16,000 for the happy young couple within 18 months. He called his son into his counting-house, and said: “This condition of affairs cannot continue. I am going to pay the passage money for yourself and your wife ts New Zealand, and set aside a sum of money which will bring you in exactly £o a week.” Upon thi s modest income the young couple, who so recently had silver spoons in their mouths in Landon, hava now to do the best they can in Wellington. Chivalrous Act

The age of chivalry is not dead. In the crush on the gangway of a North Shore ferry at Auckland a well-known retired resident of Stanley Bay, in changing his walking stick from one hand to the other, accidentally hit a lady on the leg and made a small holo in one of her stockings. Seeing what ho had done, he raised his hat, apologised and asked the lady to go along with him to a well-known drapery establishment. He explained that he only had 7s 6d in his pocket, but as he had an account at tho shop -he would esteem it an honour if the lady would allow him to make amends for the damage he had done. The lady duly selected a pail, and to show that he did the thing handsomely one has merely to say that when asked afterwards by a friend as to the price of the stockings, he said: ”1 really don’t know.''

Temperament and IncompetencyBusiness temperament was referred to by Mr J. 8. Barton, S.M., in the course of a judgment delivered in Wellington- “Shortage of work and uncertainty in the business atmosphere of the factory, with early mistakes and poor quality work at the start,” he said, “might be the lot of any servant, and these might provoke the irascibility of the employer. A temperament that prevented the servant from rising to the Occasion and led to continuous incompetent w-ork is, in my opinion, only an explanation of and not an excuse for unskilful work. Lack of skill is probably aways a matter of physical disability and of temperament, and whilst these might provoke sympathy, I cannot see that they take away the employer’s right to dismiss the incompetent servant.” Convicted Himself.

An unusual incident occurred at the Opunake Court last week, when a young niau who entered the witness-box in a breach of motor regulations case found himself at tae conclusion of the case charged with an offence against the sam e regulations and convicted literally out of his own mouth. Appearing for the defence in a case of alleged failure to sound the horn of a motorlorry, he stated that he had himself driven the lorry later in th c day to Opunake, but in cross-examination admitted he had no driver’s license. The constable at once completed the necessary formalities so that the witness became in turn defendant. He pleaded guilty and ‘was convicted and. in. view of his frankness, ordered to pay costs only. Adventures of Puss.

A young married couple living in Eastbourne Road, Remucra, set out the other afternoon on a visit to relatives in Bassett Road, a distance of approximately half a mile. They were accompanied by their faithful dog, and—though quite unknown to them—by faithful pussy as well. The cat soon

made her presence known, and trotted along quite briskly until the corner of Remuera Road was reached. Here the main stream of traffic was too much for her, and she disappeared, apparently going back home. Such was not the case, however, for pussy “parked” herself in a tree, well out of the reach of dogs, motor cars, and even human beings. Five hours later the couple returned* and pussy announced her presence by a joyful mew. Leaping down from the tree, she led the way homewards and received her due reward in a saucer of warm milk. Not the Only Place. In the course of the hearing of a case relating to certain squabbles, in thc Magistrate’s Court in Wellington last week, counsel for plaintiff mentioned that in Syria the mother was usually regarded as being the head of the house. “I have heard of that in other countries,” said Mr E. Page, S.M., amid laughter. A Prompt Action. The prompt action of a Wellington motorman on a tramcar on a recent evening saved a young man from serious injury, or, perhaps, death. Thc car had just turned into Lambton Quay from Willis Street, when thc man stepped off the footpath right in front of it. It was a case calling for quick action on the part of the motorman. In an instant he applied the brakes and brought the car to a standstill. The man was underneath the car, but fortunately the front wheels had not caught him, and he was quickly extricated, with nothing more than a few bruises on his head. He appeared to be intoxicated, and his main concern wa> that he was unable to find his hat.