REPORT CORRECTED

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 105, 28 January 1931, Page 10

REPORT CORRECTED

Debts of Railway Worker

MAGISTRATE’S ATTITUDE

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Gisborne, January 27.

During the hearing of a judgment summons case in the Magistrate’s Court today against a Kopua railway worker now out if employment, Mr. D. Chrisp, solicitor for the creditor, stated that the debtor had rung him up pointing out that by remarks made by Mr. Harper, S.M., at Wairoa there was no chance of getting the money. After hearing the evidence of the judgment debtor to-day, Mr. Harper adjourned the case for one month to see if debtor could reduce the amount in the meantime. He corrected the report of his remarks at Wairoa. Mr. Harper said he was glad reference had been made to his remarks at .Wairoa.

“Those remarks were misreported. It could appear from the account published in the papers that I am not going to make an order in any Public Works case until a debtor gets work. This is quite incorrect. I adjourned the case at Wairoa until the man hnd had a chance to get work. “I want it clearly understood that each case must be judged on its merits. If a man has means to nay up, Public Works employee or not, and it is shown he has means to pay, an order will be made. “I take the opportunity of correcting the remarks previously published or emanating from Wairoa. I stated emphatically in that court that my sympathies were with the tradespeople who had stood to the workers, but in that particular case the man had received bis last pay, and, as he was n married man with a family, I could not see my way to make an order, but adjourned the hearing for two months and impressed upon debtor the necessity of reducing his liabilities should he procure work in the meantime.”