A case has been heard at Southwark in which a street vendor was summoned by the police for wearing a kharki dress having the appearance of a uniform of Her Majesty's forces, in such a manner as to bring contempt upon that uniform. The defendant, who pleaded that "Everyone is wearing kharki now," was cautioned, the magistrate declaring that his costume might make people think the defendant was a wounded man returned home, and selling his wares to make a living. It is highly important that the Queen's uniform should not be used as it was in this instance; it is the most honourable garb worn by citizens in the Empire, and should be religiously respected as such. We have recently seen counterfeits of the kharki uniform worn in Dublin by the distributors of hand bills. Such a practice should be rigidly suppressed by the authorities.
The Irish Times, May 4th, 1900.
