BAFFLED BAILIFFS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19727, 29 August 1927, Page 6

BAFFLED BAILIFFS.

EVICTED MAN'S RETURN. PADLOCKS SET AT DEFIANCE. What to do with an evicted man who regained possession of a padlocked house was the problem set Judge Roope Reeve at the Clerkenwell County Court recently. Counsel for the Islington. Borough Council told the Judge that Mr. Ernest A. Stratton had bought a house —with the council's assistance, under the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act—in Highbury. On May 12 the Judge made a final order for possession, not to be executed if arrears were paid in 28 days. The arrears were not paid, tne man, a I though evicted, had returned, and the council sought his committal for contempt of court. . ~ Mr. Blair, the council's surveyor, said he obtained entry on a Friday. Stratton refused to leave, and not until the afternoon were the bailiffs able to give witness the keys. He fastened the front and back doors with staples and padlocks. On the Monday he went to the house and there found Stratton, who said, "I refuse to. turn my children out into the street." , The front window had been removed and the front door opened, and the furniture was being removed. The family in the back room. To the best of his knowledge the Strattons were still there. Counsel for Stratton said the man na paid £3OO to go into the house and f-o by instalments. 'The Judge said that the Court had been flouted, and he would issue a warran , but as he bad some personal sympat y with Stratton. and it could not be that there were circumstances of son hardship, the warrant lie m t office for seven days to enable the a ' fendant to give up possession. If of appeal were given during that J the warrant would be suspended, and defendant would pay an occupation r of 30s a week.