MAGISTRATE'S COURT. This Day. [Before Mr. E. Hardcastle, R.M.]

A Chinese case occupied the attention of the Resident Magistrate for some time today. The plaintiff was a disciple of Confucius named See Chong, and he sought to recover from Messrs. R. Smith and H. Sullivan tho sum of £17. The plaintiff in his declaration alleged that the defendants had oharged him £12 more than he was entitled to $ay for the use and occupation of a market garden, and that they had unlawfully distrained on a horse and cart of his at a timo when he was not indebted to them, wheroforo he olaimed £5 as damages. A follow-countrjjian of See Chong interpreted the proceedings, and the plaintiff was sworn in tho Chinese fashion. His evidence was to tho effeot that in 1879 he rented a piece of land from the defendants, and regularly paid the amount due for use and occupation. Borne timo ago he lost ono of his receipts, and as he could not produce it when the collector called, the aofondants compelled him to pay the amount over again. Shortly after, however, he found tho missing 'document behind tho lookingglass, but the landlords declined to refund the amount overpaid. On the Bth nit . they distrained on some property which he owned, alleging that a certain sum was due for rent, whioh no denied was tho caso, and for such a proceeding ho olaimed damages at £5. Honry Elliott, who hod collected tho rent of the land up to the 31st of October, on behalf of the Colonial Bank, Mr. Smith being indebted to tho institution, deposed that there was money owing by tho plaintiff on tho day the defendants distrained, (Left sitting.)