RENT CLAIM

Evening Star, Issue 19409, 18 November 1926, Page 5

RENT CLAIM

• —» LANDLADY AND LODGER IN COURT Elizabeth” Cameron (Mr W. L, Moorej was a plaintiff in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, and she manned from William Grant (Air B. B. Irwin) £3 ss, being rent due. Plaintiff said that the rental was for the two rooms, with the use of conveniences. Blie produced a book wilich, she held, contained the record of the weekly payments. Under cross-examination by Air irwin, plaintiff said she would admit she had a bad memory, and was not a scholar or a bookkeeper. When defendant’s wife had gone in to hospital he had paid her some money and hud gone to the races that day with another 15s. , ~r T “ Did he have a win, asked Mr Irwin. Plaintiff: I know he came home drunk. Air Irwin: Well, he must have had a win. Plaintiff (excitedly); He was always drunk. That night 1 had to put him out of the house and call the police in. . , In a quiet tone, Mr Irwin replied i “Haven’t you ever been guilty of drinking? Didn’t you have a spot with him. The indignation of the plaintiff waa extreme. “Oh! Excuse me, sir,” she exclaimed. “ I’m a respectable woman; forty-six years of age, with a lamily of ten,” Mr Irwin: Grant says that you drank with him. . . “ No,” replied plaintiff, in a decisive voice, to Mr Moore’s examination and last question. * Did Grant drink?—He was always drinking. Plaintiff could stand the examination no longer. “I can’t stand op here before all these men and have these things said. 1 am a respectable woman.” Further examination was stopped by Air J. R. Bartholomew’s curt “That’s all right. AVe have heard your denial and we do not want to hear any more.” Plaintiff, though, had something more to say, sotto voce, as she walked to the rear of the court. Defendant said plaintiff refused to give receipts for the rentals paid. He denied that the money was owing. “ The onus is on defendant to satisfy the court tha»i he did pay, and he has failed,” said the Magistrate in giving judgment for the amount claimof “He is an experienced _ man, anf should have had the plaintiff’s initials in his book to the payments.”