A BOARDER'S RETURN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14145, 21 August 1909, Page 5

A BOARDER'S RETURN.

RECOVERY OF CHATTELS.

LANDLADY'S CLAIM FOR STORAGE.

Four years ago a young man named W. P. Naughton left a boardinghouse in Auckland, conducted by Mrs. B. Grayden, to seek his fortune in Melbourne. He had been comfortable in his lodgings and had been on friendly terms with the landlady's son, also her daughter, who describes hoc attitude toward him as that of a sister. Being on such friendly terms with his landlady and her family Mr. Naughton 'thought he might as well leave some of his property, which he did not wish to take to Melbourne, in her house. He accordingly left pictures, a box containing encyclopedias, an; overmantel, a chair, clothes, etc., the whole being valued at £42 10s. He then sailed with Mrs. Grayden's son and about £450, £300 of which his companion had won for him at the races a few days before they left New Zealand. In Australia Naughton got into trouble, and 'was sentenced to a term of imprisonment. Meantime the landlady's daughter got married, and when Naughton came back to New Zealand and applied to her for the return of his property he was informed it was a matter he would have to settle with her mother. He engaged Mr. Prendergast to assist him to negotiate with his former landlady, and she, on her part, engaged Mr. Hanna Counsel, however, failed to agree as to what storage, if any, was due to Mrs. Grayden and as to other matters, and yesterday thev invoked the aid of Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M.

After satisfying himself that Naughton had not. disposed of his right to the goods to his brother, doubt on which point had induced Mrs. Grayden to retain the goods, the magistrate made an order that they be restored to him. , A counter-claim brought by Mrs. Grayden against Naughton demanded more consideration. It included charges of £18 2s 6d for storage, and 10s for removal of the goods when Mrs. Grayden changed her residence, claims for £10 alleged to 'have been sent to assist in Naughton's defence, £3 3s interest, and 16s cost of remitting other money to Naughton. The total of the counter-claim was £32 16s. Mr. Prendergast suggested that Mrs. Grayden and her daughter had had full liberty to use Naughton's goods, and had, in fact, ornamented the walls with his pictures and overmantel, read his encyclopedias, and sat in his chair. The landlady's daughter, however, raised the serious objection that the encyclopedias were 100 dry to read, the mirror of the overmantel was too high to look into, and the chair was not a bit comfortable, being, in fact, "a common thing covered with American leather." Rebutting evidence on the counter-claim will be given next week.