Some spent their earnings at the public-house; others took a whisky "ploy" at the seaside.

For that purpose they hired all the gigs, droskies, cabs, or "machines," about a fortnight beforehand.

The results were seen, as the successive Monday mornings come round.

The magistrate sat in the neighbouring town, where a number of men and women, with black eyes and broken heads, were brought before him for judgment.

Before the time of high wages, the Court-house business was got through in an hour: sometimes there was no business at all.