A Scandalous Case.

Manawatu Herald, 5 April 1892, Page 3

A Scandalous Case.

£700 Costs on a £41 Judgment. Mr Justice Grantham, on taking his seat in the Court of Queen's Bench noticed the case of Hooper v. Large. He said the matter had been appointed to be heard in his room at 10 o'clock ; but as the parties were HOW ifl attendance he would hear the application in Courfc. His lordship looked at some papers, and said that it seemed that there was a judgment for £41. then there was an admiuistration action iti Chancery, and there were costs which amounted to £700. It was a perfect scandal that there should be £700 for costs arising out of the question whether Mrs Large was liable to pay tlie rent of a hoiise which she said was not fit to live in, and that her husband had inhaled sewage gas there and died. She did not appear, judgment was given against her for £41, and then costs to the amount of £700 were incurred. It was scandalous, and it would be put down to the fault of the law, but they could not help it. He really thought that this was one of the most scandalous things he had ever heard of, but he could do nothing in the .case, for the lady had not taken the proper course. The moment that a fund got into Couit it seemed to be treated like a cow— a thing to be milked. He must dismiss the summons of Mrs Large, because she had not .adopted a proper mode of proceeding, .but nobody wbltld be surprised, after what he had said, that he should give no costs. He added that these things brought discredit upon the whole profession— solicitors, barristers, and judges. The result was that people got hold of some things that were true, and thereupon assumed that r many, other things were trite also, and then they' found letters that were written to the papers day after day that had no foundation at all..