THE COURTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17983, 29 January 1924, Page 5

THE COURTS.

MAGISTERIAL. MONDAY. (Before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) DRUXKEXNES-S. Thonras Long was convicted and fined -Os, in default 4S imprisonment. Alfred James Masse}*, who pleaded gu" 7 to being found -under tie influence o*liquor on the railway platform, was fined iOs, in default ten days' imnrisonment, and a prohibition order v/ns issued against him. CIVIL BUSINESS. Judgment by default was given for plaintiff in each of the following cs-seerChnst-church Press Co- v. "W. J. Dalley, £3 12s; R. Francis, Ltd., v. H. G. Love 11, £1 Booth, Macdonald and Co. v. S. Ryburn, ~l< 12s sd; eame v. H. Winterburn, £-5 12s, Andrew Lees, Ltd., r. A. Hunt, £1 12s sd; Trade Auxiliary Co., Ltd:, v. V. L- a * r " brother, £4 7s 6d; I. "Wilson v. G. don, £6O 17a 3d; W. Costello v. E. G. Xurse, £10; same v. Mrs Laird, £2 10s; fame v. Mrs M. Tennessy 15a sd; Harris's Impernl Boot Depot v. "W. P. S. Elmslio, £lO 12s Cd , Heathcote County Council v. W. C. Elliott, 5s costs only; same v. same, £1 -I s j Westport Coal Co., Ltd., v. E. Carney, 16s; E. C. A. Coxhead v. I. H. Borton, £l7 10s. C. McCarthy was ordered to pay W. L. "Walker the sum of £8 9s Ga, in default seven days' imprisonment. A. Senior, carpenter, of Redcliffs S Thomas), claimed from W. Gray, of Redcliffs (Mr F. S. "Wilding) the sum of £l4 7s. hire of a, cart and horse from June 1-ltli to July 25th. 1923. After hearing the <*vid en p® the Magistrate gave judgment for plaintiff for £3 10s and costs. LOSS OF SHEEP.

Pyne, Gcruld, Guinness, Ltd., stocic agents (Mr X). E. Wanklyn), claimed from W. Milner, contractor, Sockburn abattoir (Mr C. S. Thomas), 28 fat wethers alleged to have been taken by the defendant from the Addington saleyarcLs on May 9th, 1923, or the valu« of the sheep, £42-, and £1 5s damages for their detention. . Mr Wanklyn said the sheep had been offered for sale at the Addington yards by the plaintiff company, and the reserve price was not reached. \V"hen the firm's employees went to remove the sheep they had disappeared from the pen. An interesting system of checking was adopted at the yards. All the gates were closed, and a saleyards employee counted out the Bheep to the people who were authorised to take them away. They had passes from the stock firms or the saleyards. On the day of the sale, defendant, who was a contractor at the abattoir, took out 1427 sheep, when he only produced passes lor lijyl, leaving att siiecp unaccounted lor. The next week he presented parses ior 10 more, leaving 2G stil! unaccounted for. It was assumed that defendant took 28 sheep more than he was entitled to. — In the counting, a discrepancy of four or five sheep was never taken into account, as thousands wore handled, and exact tallies wete impossible. Several of the firm's employees gave evidence as to tallying, stating that they were usually fairly correct. The man who counted the sheep in this instance had since died. Mr Thomas contended that there was no evidence of a count. A'o demand had been made on the defendant.

Mr "Wanklyn said that a letter (produced) constituted the demand. After hearing the evidence the Ma-gistnvte 6aid the nature of the case "was so unsatisfactory that it was absolutely impossible for him to decide that the sheep were ta-ken by Milner. The circumstances- were such that lie could not even • draw a reasonable inference. Judgment would be given for defendant. KANGIORA. (Before Messrs J. Marshall and W. McGruer, J.P.'s.) Judgment foj plaintiff by default was gjyen in G. H. Bridget v. W. J. Lockliard, £2 16s 3d, costs £L 4s 6d, and A. C. Palmer t. iP. "Waterland, £2, costs £1 14s -Gd. A number of casc3 beyond the jurisdiction of the Court were adjourned to bo dealt with by the Magistrate. IN OTHER PLACES. ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION. (PBESS • ASSOCIATION" TELEGEAII;) WIiAKATAJNTE, January 23. Morris Domb, a former resident of Whakatane, appeared in the Police Court to answer a charge of having collected drainage rates from natives and fraudulently omitted to account for the same. There were ten informations, £B4 being involved. Accused, who was arrested at "Wellington, reserved his defence, and was committed to Auckland for trial.