THE COURTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1189, 14 December 1894, Page 30

THE COURTS.

SUPREME COURT.

CIVIL SESSIONS. His Honor the Chief Justice took his seat on the Bench at 10 o’clock yesterday week. lIANSEN V. WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL. The hearing of the case of Hansen v. the Wellington City Council was resumed. The examination of Mr E. L. Mestayer, drainage engineer, was concluded. The other witnesses examined for the defence "woro : Dr If onry, who visitod. tho plaintiff in August last and also quite recently; George McGlashan, foreman in charge of the drainage works in Ingestre street in June last; Wm. Quin, who was engaged in excavating the Ingestre street drain; J. P. Watts, timekeeper at the works; the Eev W. Eonaldson, who resided close to where the accident occurred; George Stunell, an employee of the Gas Company, who gave evidence as to the custom of the 4 Company’s workmen in protecting open trenches; Elizabeth ITansen, not a i elation of the plaintiff, and who gave some unimportant evidence; and Lauritz Hansen, father of the plaintiff, who was recalled. The latter’s cross-examination was not finished when the Court adjourned until 10 o’clock next morning, when the case was resumed. The only fresh witnesses called were Mrs Hansen, mother of the plaintiff, and E. L. Mestayer, drainage engineer, the latter giving rebutting " evidence. ~ _ Messrs Martin and Skerrett addressed the jury . for defendant Council and the plaintiff respectively. His Honor summed up at considerable length, and the jury retired to consider their verdict at 2.10 p.m. They returned about ah hour later, and asked if His Honor would accept a three- ' fourths verdict. . * His Honor said he could not accept such a verdict until they had been deliberating three hours. If, however, the counsel agreed tlie time could be made shorter. rt was agieed if they could not come to a unanimous decision to accept a thrsefourths verdict at 4 p.m. ' The . jury retired again, and at 4.10 returned and gave a three-fourths verdict for plaintiff for ,£l5O. Costs were allowed according to scale, and His Honor certified for two extra days.