LEESTON.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7781, 7 February 1891, Page 3

LEESTON.

Friday, February 6. (Before R, Beetham, Esq., R.M., and H. | J. Hall, Esq., J.P.) ' Cattle Trespass. — Alexander Hogg was fined 5s and F. W. CI ear yss for j allowiug cattle to wander at large. Civil Case..— Eilesuiere Road Board v I Johu Wills, claim £9 8s for rates due. | Judgment by default. Fred. Jameson v Alexander Rollo, claim £6. Judgment by default. Prohibition Order.—Nancy Carr applied ior a prohibililou order agaiust her husband, J. Carr, ou grounds ot excessive driukiug. Application refused. Damaging a Landlord's Property.— | Collins Bros., wholesale stationers, Auckland, claimed from James Wilson, hi orekeeper, Doyleston, the sum of J-100 for alleged "damage done to a property of' dweUi-g-house and grocer's store occupied till lately by defendant as weekly tenant. The statement of claim was the value of i twenty-ei_ht blue gums cut down by the defendant, valued at £1 each, and £48 tbe ' value of the trees to the property, and the balance, -324, for wilful destruction of property in tbe shape of fences, orchard, ornamental trees, and dwelling-house. Mr Donnelly appeared for, plaintiffs, and Mr Creswell for defendant. Ballantyne Pyne -stated that he was agent for Messrs Collins Brothers, and that the defendant had greatly I damaged his property at Doyleston by cutting down.a number of standard bide gUm trees without permission from him to do so, that he had left the property without giving due notice, and went, away leaving the property all open and much dilapidated. The first intimation he had of the property being unoccupied was the receipt of, the keys through'the post from a stranger. Mr Cress well, for the defendant, stated that they admitted catting down certain; blue gums on the plaiutiiTs property, but " that the damage was not an excessive one, and the defendant in cutting down the trees had done so lor the general good of the property, and if any damage had been done to the property it had been done since defendant gave up possession. Evidence was given at considerable length by H. E. Boardman, W. Lancaster, Thos. Burt, C. H. Parker, James Wilson, Fred. Jamieson, C. Frankish, and F. Browning. His Worship gave judgment for the sum of £5 for plaintiffs, the value of the five cords of firewood removed, and costs on a £20 scale, the defendant to pay all costs of witnesses, as he had no right to remove any Of the trees. The coats amounted to £13 9a.