MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14525, 29 November 1912, Page 10

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) DRUNKENNJiSS; Two male first offenders were each fined sa, in default twenty-four hours imprisonment, and another was ordered to pay medical expenses, amounting to 17s 6d. MAINTENANCE. Obadiah John Fletcher was charged with being £19 5s in arrears under an order for 7s 6d a week for the support of his illegitimate- child. The mother of the girl said that another illegitimate child was expected, but the girl's father was unwilling that sho should marry Fletcher. ihe defendant was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in default of immediate payment. JT7DGIVIENT DEBTORS. C. Moulin was ordered to pay F. D. Kesteven (Mr Leathern), £3 8s at the rate of 2s 6d' a week. DEFAULT CASE. Judgment for the plaintiff with costs was .gire.n in each of the following cases—Corbould and Co. (Mr Rowe) v. Mrs F. M. Gormley, £4 12s 6d; executors of Walter Pickles, deceased (Mr Dougall) v. F. Clark, JuAd 19s 7d; I>odson and Robertson (Mr Rowe) v. H. Watts, £1 12s; J. P. Murphy (Mr Hoban) v. J. A. Grant. £35. DEFENDED CASES. Lbasby Bros., motor garage proprietors (Mr Dougall), claimed from Richard Holton and W. T. Haynes (Mr Dacre) the sum of £38 9s for work I done, being repairs to a motor-car. , Holton's> liability was admitted; and j his Worship, after hearing the evidence held that that of the second defendant had also been established. Ho accordingly gave' judgment for the plaintiffs for the full amount claimed.

Charles Allison, trading as the Peerless Boot Company (Mr Dacre) claimed from Wm. Brunsden (Air Cuningham) the sum of £72 12s lid, of which £4 2s 9d was said to be for goods supplied and the balance for loss through alleged breach of agreement. There was a counter-claim for £17 Bs, commission and goods. It was contended by plaintiff that defendant had failed to carry out the terms of an agreement by which he was to collept moneys and render accounts to the firm, and that for this reason the firm had been caused considerable loss. Defendant said that ho had acted all along according to instructions, latterly under the direction of Air Allison, junr. The latter eaid that he had not cancelled the agreement, but had only stopped the giving of credit. His Worship held that it was clear that there had'been a bn?sU'h of the agreement. He gave judgment for plaintiff for £U 2s 9d, £10 or which being allowed as daman's nnd for Brunsden on the counter-claim for £8 2s, £1 19s being for goods and Ihc balance for commission.

3IETHVEN

(Before Mr T. A. B, Bailey, S.M., and M«ssrs W. J. Dickie and Henry AVard, J.P.'s.

There was a busy day at the opening of the new Courthouse at Methven yesterday, a building which had become absolutely necessary to cope with the growing importance of the Methven district, the consequent legal complications which continuously arise with* the progress of any town or district. ■ The Stipendiary Magistrate, before proceeding with the ordinary business, in a brief speech, congratulated the Methven district on its rapid growth, and also on it having at last a building in which the legal business could bo conducted in order, and in a manner which, would give satisfaction to all parties. The Town Hall, remarked Mr Bailey, had served its temporary purp>S6 as a Courthouse, but there was practically no privacy and no room which those who were conducting the business could retire to and think ont the cases which were coming before those who had to sit on the Bench. They had now a building in which legal business could be properly conducted, and which was a credit to 3lethven. Mr W J. Dickie, M.P., also made a few remarks on the growth of the district and the need of a building m which, legal business could be properly conducted.

Mr Ward, J. P., paid a high compliment to Constable Moore for the admirable manner in which he had discharged his difficult duties as a police officer, and as the clerk of fhe Court. Mr A. S. Mcholls, on behalf of the legal profession, expressed his pleasure at bt'mg at the opening of the new Courthouse, and at the facilities which were now afforded to deal with Court

business in Methven. - The following cases were then , dealt with :—

Arthur Street, charged with selling a loaf of bread two ounces and fourteen drams short of the proper weight, was fined 10s, with 7s costs. K. Aitken, for whom Mr A. S. Nicolls appeared, claimed from H. Gallus (Mr Kennedy) the sum of £33 9*. 10d, balance on a building contract. Gallus put in a counter-claim for £35. After lengthy evidence, judgment was givon for Gallus for £5 15s and costs, and judgment for Aitken for £30, with costs.

J. Hibbs, on a judgment summons for £10 2a 10d, obtained an order against W. B. McDonald for the payment of 20s per week, the first instalment to be paid on December .2Sth, in default seven days' imprisonment. J. Hibbs, on a judgment summons, got an order against D. C. McDonald on a claim of £9 4s 6d. Defendant was ordered to pay £8 4s 6d, in instalments of 7s per week, in default seven days' imprisonment.