CLAIM FOR RENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22603, 16 December 1936, Page 16

CLAIM FOR RENT

SECRETARY'S LIABILITY

CASE AT WHANCAREI

[iJY TELEGRAPH —OWN COIt H ESPON DENT J WHANGAREI, Tuesday "This is an unfortunate case and f think it would be a decent uesturo on the part of the plaintiff if lie would forgo anything other than the actual rent," said Mr. (J. N. Morris, S.M.. in the Magistrate's Court to-dav when giving judgment for plaintiff in a case in which Sidney Reed claimed £9 Is 2d iroiii James Arthur Surgenor, being arrears of rent and repairs to a building. Evidence was given by defendant that he engaged the house as a depot for tho Whangarei Unemployed Association, of which he was secretary. Ho was to pay one-third of the rental, which ho did. but owing to the association getting into financial dillicultics it could not find tho balance of the money. Mr. Trimmer, for plaintiff, said that as the association was not an incorporated body it could not lie held liable for the amount. Naturally plaintiff looked to defendant for tho rent. The magistrate, in giving judgment, for £6 14s Bd, the actual amount of rent owing and which plaintiff agreed at the magistrate's suggestion to accept, said that although legally tho full claim could succeed, he sympathised with defendant, who seemed to have been badly treated by the association.