THE SEAMY SIDE

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18803, 26 November 1932, Page 12 (Supplement)

THE SEAMY SIDE

(By R. E. Corder, In They call him “ One-Chance Mor<ds " a! Westminster Police Court, but his real name Is Mr Rhys Ilopkin Morris, an ex-M.P., and our newest metropolitan magistrate; Mr Rhys Ilopldn Morris is a Welshman and a teetotaller, but lie docs not permit prejudice to interfere with mercy, lie is the only magistrate I have met who considers that a human being is entitled to n llrst “ tight,” Just ns a. dog is permitted its first bite. A dark man lie is. with smooth black hair, soft brown eyes, a sensitive mouth, flit' hands of an artist, and a low mellow voice. A kindly man who, if-ho errs at all, it is on the side of leniency, lie talks little, but that sensitive twist to his mouth suggests a subtle sense of humour. * * * * 1 admire our newest magistrate's clemency: lie is playing the game uee,.riling to his conscience, but all Hie s ;111e i was impressed by the number of “drunks” mi the ebarge-slieel at Westminster Police Court yesterday. Are they taking advantage of the “one chance." Hie one chance in the one i l'M'Sl l ' V | think that Mr It. 11. Morris is right j hi pis experiment—give them aj chance, hut, there is just a danger that J obi offenders may become “ one

Tales Told to the Magistrate. A First “ Tight.”

London Daily Mail.) chancers "in the Westminster area. I did not like the look of that long list of “ drunks ” because for a long time drunkards have been diminishing on the Metropolitan charge-sheets. Maybe 1 am wrong, but it seems to me lliat, tiie “ one chance ” idea has gone round. Anyhow, Mr R. 11. Morris gets them with the second barrel. lie says, "You had your chance; now it is my turn. And could anything be fairer? Three women were surprised and grateful to get, off yesterday. Margaret, in a puce coal, whose weakness was brandy and aspirins, gave a false address because she was ashamed of herself. <trace, in a brown coat and a pair of spectacles, had lost her balance and her memory; ami Alice, in a blue coat, and a blue funk, went shopping with a capacious hag, which was colleclcd as a returned empty. V * V * Among other “ t?rsl timers ’’ was an Egyptian who declared that lie had not heard good news for years, and lie was so overjoyed at meeting old friend.- in a strange land that he was overcome. “News or booze?” hundred the magistrate mildly.