MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14610, 18 February 1908, Page 5

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, February 17. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) Drunkenness.—A first offender was fined os and costs. William Olliver, with one previous conviction, pleaded guilty, and was fined 10s, in default forty-eight hours' imprisonment. Timo to pay was allowed. An Habitual Drunkabd.—Elizabeth Adams, a respectable-looking woman, was charged as an habitual drunkard, having been drunk on Saturday night and having three convictions recorded against her within the past nine months. She admitted the charge, but pleaded to bo excused. She had come out of the Salvation Army Home on Friday after "doing" two months there, and on account of the very hot weather had had "a glass too much." She was quite prepared to take out a prohibition order against herself. "That's all very well," said the Magistrate, " but from a woman with seven-ty-five convictions against her ! Two years in the Samaritan Home."

False Pretences.—Alfred Horley, an. elderly man, pleaded guilty to two charges—that, on February 3, at Springfield, he bad received from Reuben Ogdon, of Springfield, the sum of £2 10s by means of a valueless cheque, and that by the same false pretence on the same date he had received from Colin M'After, manager for Stewart Dawson and Co., a lady's dressing-case, valued at £9 10s. Detective Bishop, who conducted the case, said that the dressing-case had been recovered. The prisoner was an old offender. He was sentenced to sis months' imprisonment on each charge, the terms to be cumulative. (

Judgment hy Default.—Judgment for the plaintiffs by default was given in the cases of Thomas Dowling and John Spooner v. R. Cant, £35; and James Clegg (Mr Cuningham) v. Ethel Gregory, £3.

Judgment Summons.—ln the judgment summons case of C. G. Fryer (Mr MalleyV v. W. H. Rountree, on a judgment for £6 16s 7d, there was no appearance of the defendant, and he was ordered to pay the amount forthwith, in default fourteen days' imprisonment. "

Claim and Counter-claim.—John Bell (Mr Ritchie), farmer., of Rolleston, claimed from George Kinnear (Mr Hunt), farmer, of Rolleston, the sum of £26 7s, being the price of a bay i gelding fixed at £15., and certain iploughing and harrowing done for the defendant. 'The defendant counterclaimed for £37 18s, the price of grassing 800 sheep, and the hire of several horses for harrowing and rolling. After evidence had been heard judgment was given for Kinnear for a lump sum of £lO. Commission Claim.—C. A. Lees and Co. (Mr Wright) claimed from Mrs E. Drummond (Mr Hunt) the sum of £32 3s as commission on the sale of a house in Canon Street. The plaintiffs said that they had introduced the buyer of the house, a Mr Home, to Mrs Drummond, and although the sale had been effected privately, they asked for a quantum meruit. The defence was that the house had been verbally withdrawn from the plaintiffs' hands, and that the sale between Borne and Mrs Drummond had had nc< connection with Lees and Co. The Magistrate held that although no sale had been directly effected by the instrumentality of the plaintiffs, yet they were entitled to a q lantum meruit, which he assessed at £lO.