Good morning,
I suggest that this is Jerome in his humorous “I assume you know what I mean” manner. The police reports would be in the newspaper a day or more after the magistrate’s court hearings for minor offences. The hearings would be a day or two after the offence, if it was public nuisance, drunken damage, motoring offence or similar quickly arrested occurrence. That brings us back to Guy Fawkes Night, a fireworks and bonfire event on November 5th. Arrest on 6th, court appearance on 7th or 8th, newspaper reports from police on 8th or later. So two respectable men are somewhat anxiously looking to see if their names are in the newspaper for minor public nuisance (drink, fireworks, etc). One might say, It was a few day’s after the vicar’s tea party had got a bit out of hand, and the senior churchwarden and I……
Hugh Wolfson