WOMAN'S COURT DEBUT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 74, 24 February 1938, Page 12

WOMAN'S COURT DEBUT.

'perfect legal manner. For four days, a young married woman, who had never been in a Court of law, even in the public gallery, re-cently appeared with distinction as her own advocate in the Chancery Division, London. Opposing her was a distinguished King’s counsel, Mr R. F. Roxburgh, representing an important building society, yet so well did the defendant, Mrs E. F. E. Borders, of West Wickham, Kent, present her case that she raised a number of points described by the Judge as being of great importance to building society members throughout the country. Mrs Borders contested an action brought by the Bradford Third Equitable Building Society to obtain possession of the house she occupied on the ground that she was three months in arrear with repayments. Mrs Borders denied the arrears and alleged that she had been fraudulently misled by the society into the belief that the house complied witii local authority requirements. She counter-claimed for £B2l. ' , At one stage Mrs Borders was on her feet for practically a whole day, arguing her case and replying to observations made by opposing counsel. She claimed an injunction to restrain the society from making further advances until all. its present properties were put into repair. The Judge considered this a point of wide importance and fixed a date to hear her submissions on it. . Persons with lengthy legal experience say Mrs Borders has the perfect Chancery Court manner —quiet, imperturbable, instant in reply, tenacious and never at a loss for a fact. ‘ I got all nty experience from listening to Mr Roxburgh on the other side,” she said. <C I know nothing of the law. lam relying entirely on the facts. The case is taking a great deal' of time, but last week-end I had to put it aside for awhile and do some washing.