THE COLONEL AND HIS PASSAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8195, 5 March 1890, Page 5

THE COLONEL AND HIS PASSAGE.

ACTION AGAINST THE UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christohurch, Tuesday. At the R.M. Court to-day Colonel Gaynor sued the Union Steamship Company for £20. Mr. Stringer appeared for the plaintiff, and -Mr. Nalder for the company. The plaintiff alleged that 011 February 24 he took a saloon ticket at the company's office, Ly ttelton, by the Hauroto, from Lyttel ton to Sydney, for which he paid £4. Subsequently he was informed she was a full ship. He could not be accommodated, and had to bring his luggage on shore. By missing the Hauroto ho was prevented joining the connocting boat at Sydney, by which he could, for the reduced fare of £1, have proceeded to Hobart, his final destination. He had also to incur other hotel expenses during his nine days' detention, and he would now havo to pay £9 passage money by the first available steamer, He therefore claimed £20 damages. The defence was that the ticket was issued to Colonel Gaynor, subject, us he was specially informed, to there being an unoccupied berth. As soon as the list of berths engaged reached ttelton it was found there ware none unoccupied. The company's agent offered to provide the plaintiff with sleeping accommodation on the ship's transom, with reversion of any berth that might become vacant by its occupant leaving at a way port, or the money would be returned. Both offers wote refused, and the defendants now paid into court the amount of , the passage money, though it was held that they could legally have retained it. They also alleged that the plaintiff might, if he chose, have secured for the same money a berth on the Jubiloe, which left for Sydney later on tho same night. Judgment for the company, each party to pay his own costs.