MISSING LIVE STOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17254, 2 September 1919, Page 8

MISSING LIVE STOCK.

COMPANY'S CLAIM ALLOWED.

I MANAGER TO PAY £2786.

» AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE." [BT IEtEGKAFH. —PREBS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTdIpIKCH, Monday. Mr. Justice Rerdmari suggested police investigation of certain circumstances in a case which came before him at the Supremo Court to-day. The original claim entered by the Inchbonnie Estate Company, Ltd. (Mr. A. F. Wright), against Joseph Thomas Seale (who did not appear and was not represented) wae I for £4893 3s 2d. It was alleged that the defendant, through faulty management and losing or failing to account for stock and wool, caused the plaintiff company to suffer the loss mentioned in the claim. Mr. Wright stated that the defendant had been told that he could appear at the hearing of the case, even though no defence had been filed, in order to speak in mitigation of judgment, but the defendant had written stating that he would not be present even if the plaintiff got ; judgment. Further, he did not know i ' how judgment could be satisfied. Mr. i Wright continued that he wished to i withdraw (a), (b), (c), and (d) of the , claims with regard to the shortage of wool, and the negligent carrying on of , [ the firm's business in respect of which ; j loss had been occasioned. The plaintiff's , claim would be confined to clause (e), in which it was stated that, between August, ; I 1916, and January, 1919, defendant had j been employed as manager of the estate, , and had the fullest discretion in carrying I on the farm, and it ' was alleged that ■ during this period he negligently lost, or , failed to account for, 291 cattle and 994 sheen, valued at £2786 7s. " We don't know what has hanpened," said Mr. Wright. , Tudor Willoughby Hungerford, mani' ager of the plaintiff company, gave evi- \ dence regarding a muster of etock on the 1 , farm which he made, and which showed i' the discrepancies set out in the statement ;, of the claim. He stated that when asked ~ what had become of a large number of j sheet) the defendant stated they were , "in the bush." Witness was satisfied that , they were not. , John Joseph Heasley, manager of the [ land department of Dalgety and Co., , Christchurch. «aid that in 1917 he went , over to Inchbonnie to get a muster. He , met defendant at Arthur's Pasii, and he . seemed very anxious that witness should t not go on. He succeeded in getting a ' Portia 1 muster, but the defendant said Hie rest of the stock were " in the bush." , He used the phrase so often that it, be- . came a subject of comment. " Thip if a most extraordinary thing," , said His Honor, after, hearing further statement by Mr. Wright. "It seems as if other proceedings ought to be taken." "We are prepared to give the authorities all the assistance we can," replied Mr. Wright. r His Honor: It is a matter which the . police authorities should investigate. Judgment was given for the amount of the claim, £2786 7s, with costs on the highest scale, witnesses' expenses, and disbursements. ■ • •