A CURIOUS ACTION.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7718, 15 April 1887, Page 3

A CURIOUS ACTION.

A case of considerable interest came before Judge Powell at the Oatnbenvell Comity Court recently, in reference to the "word competitions" now- all the rage in London. At the end of last year the defendants, Messrs Barker and Co., who are proprietors of the Weekly News and Clcrkcmmll Chronicle, advertised in several of the daily papers that tiloy would give away prizes in money to the amount of £50 for the greatest number of words formed out of the word " counubiality;" the first prize to be £25, the second £5, and so on. There were several hundred competitors, amongst them being the plaintiff Elliott. When the award was published, giving the names and addresses of the successful competitors, _the_ first prize was awarded to a doctor living in the country, and tlie second prize was, in consequence of there being several ties, divided among threo persons. The balance of the £30 was distributed in half-crown

prizes, and amongst the recipients was the plaintiff. After giving credit for the amount, he now brought the present action to recover the balance of £5, namely £4 11s flel. In support of his case he contended that the list he sent in was better, than the one which obtained

the first prize ; and, if not, that he was at any rate entitled to the second prize. He their endeavored to point out several words which were not to he found in the dictionaries allowed to I>e used in the competition. Mr Gregson, solicitor for the defence, called several gentlemen who were engaged in the adjudication, wlio deposed that there were at least 15 or 16 lists better than the plaintiffs, and handed in three lists for perusal. His Honor said it would take him weeks to go through the lists. As it was, however, the first case of the kind that had come before him, he would consider the matter, and give his decision at a future date. In the meantime he would retain the plaintiffs list and the dictionaries made use of for his guidance.