THE COURTS—TO-DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 10401, 24 August 1897, Page 2

THE COURTS—TO-DAY.

SUPREME COURT—IN CHAMBERS. (Before His Honor Mr Justice Williams.) ft WiuiAM Stevens, deceased (Mr Sim). Motion for probate,—Accordingly. Re. James Myall, deceased (Mr Mouat). —Motion for probate.—Accordingly. The N.Z. Pine Company, Colonial Hardware Company, Southland Farmebs! Implement and Engineering Company (Mr Husking), Summons for appointment of solicitors to official liquidator.—According'y. Re Walter Guthrie and Company, Limited—Ajudication on debts and claims. Mr Hosking appeared for the liquidator. The parties not being in a position to proceed, the hearing of the claim was adjourned until-the 17th ot September next. Re The New Zealand Pine Company, Limited, the Colonial Habdwabe, Limited, and the Southland Fabmebs Company, Limited.—Adjudication on debts and claims. Mr Hosking appeared for the liquidator. A number of claims against these companies were also adjourned to the 17th of September. Mr Chapman appeared in support of the claim by John Maitland Jones. The amount of the claim was for £66 5s 9d, for balance of work done, but of this amount £2O had been received, and the claim was therefore for £46 5s 9d.

John Maitland Jones, an accountant, deposed that he was first employed by the companies in June, 1896. The work claimed for was commenced within two months of the liquidation proceedings. He was engaged by Mr Walter Guthrie, the consulting director, and was originally engaged on behalf of the Pine Company • He was asked to get the books up and bring out a balance, and subsequently, about June, to go, further into the ramifications of the companies, and bring up a valuation. As to remuneration, he was told that the amount of work to be done could scarcely be defined, but would be settled later on when it was discovered what the amount of the work was. The late secretary of the company had died suddenly and the accountant of the company had left. The work for the Pine Company necessitated three months' application from eight to eleven or twelve o’clock nightly to get it ready for the balance due on the 30th March, 1896. It necessitated going over the whole work in the twelve months. His remuneration commenced in September or October, and in the interval he had drawn £3 10a per week at first. Then he got £4, and a cheque once or twice for £2O. Ho was only speaking from memory ; but that was about how it stood. About September he was asked to go through the other companies in the same way, and it was suggested that his remuneration should be at the same rate as the former secretary received—£4oo a year. Mr Guthrie made that suggestion. Witness was away for some time in Wellington, and when he came back the liquidation proceedings had commenced. He had taken the balance due by the books. The entries were made by the accountant at the direction of witness, who acted under instructions in the matter from Mr Brent, who had consulted Mr Guthrie.

Witness was cross-examined by Mr Hosking as to the work done and the arrangements made respecting it. His Honor said that Mr Jones had made out a prima fade case, which they could rebut or not.

Mr_ Hosking asked that tke matter should be adjourned. Mr Jones had now given some account of the matter and the claim would be looked into, and they would let his solicitor know if they required his further attendance.

Mr Jones said he would have given the information in Invercargill, but he expected his claim to be paid, as the debentureholders had promised that wages should be paid in full.

Mr. Hosking said that the arrangement with.the debenture-holders did not apply to Mr Jones’s claim at all, but only to the last that had been submitted to them. Mr Jones’s claim had been challenged, and ah explanation of it was necessary. Mr Jones said he thought bis claim was excluded because he was acting on behalf of Mr Guthrie now.

Mr Hosking i No. Mr Jones’s claim was excluded before it was known whether he Was acting for Mr Guthrie or not. His Honor, asked if Mr Hosking applied for an adjournmentMr Hosking replied in the affirmative, and said they would let Mr Jones’s solicitor know if the claim was to be disputed. There would be no opposition, or anything of that kind put in the way of Mr Jones proving his claim. The liquidator only wanted to know exactly the position in which matters Stood. The matter was then adjourned.

CITY POLICE COURT. (Before Messrs J. T. Ross and T. Ross, J.P.s.) Drunkenness.— William. Philp was fined 5a or twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. A first offender was convicted and discharged. By-law Cases. —James Vandeen pleaded guilty to driving a cart round the corner of Princes and Rattray streets dt other than a walking pace.—The Bench inflicted a fine of 2s 6d.

For allowing three cows to wander on the Town Belt, William Matthewson was fined 2s 6d a head, with coats. For permitting a cow to be at large in the Northern Cemetery Robert Leckie was mulcted in the sum of 5s and costs.

Unregistered Dogs.—For keeping unregistered dogs JohnM'Millan, Frederick H. Jeffcoat, George M. Barr, Frank Martin, Donald C. Cameron, and Robert M l Kinlay were each fined 2a 6d, and Harry Lucas sa.