RETAINING A LATE LOVER'S PRESENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9139, 11 June 1891, Page 2

RETAINING A LATE LOVER'S PRESENTS.

(Feb United Pbess Association.)

Wellington, June 10.

A.rather peculiar case was heard before Mr Justice Richmond this morning. W. J. Meek, of Wellington, sued Alice Attwood, spinster, of Christchurch, for the return of jewellery, rings, bracelets, and lockete, valued at £70, and for £30 damages for their detention. From the evidence of plaintiff, who is a widower, it appeared that his wife idied in August, and in December he proposed and was accepted by defendant. He allowed her to wear the jewellery on condition that Bhe married him in January, but tho eugagement was broken off. Defendant refused to return the jewellery, and he had never been able to get it back from her. In cross-examina-tion it appeared that plaintiff's age was 66, and that.he had since married. When the case had proceeded thus far it was temporarily interrupted by defendant's counsel (Mr Hall) fainting.

On resuming, defendant in her evidence said that Meek asked her to marry him, and she assented on condition that their engagement should not be made known for the time being. Plaintiff pressed her to accept the jewellery, and made no conditions about returning it. Witnes3 had spent some £25 in getting things preparatory to her marriage; bat subsequently, finding that plaintiff had deceived her as to his house, &c, she wrote breaking ofi the engagement—her first impulse being to return all jewellery, according to recognised custom under such circumstance:l. She received an insulting letter from plaintiff, in which he reminded her of the articles of jewellery he had given her, and demanding them back. She burned the letter, and, after consideration, determined not to return the jewellery. A jeweller gave evidence that the articles under dispute were at the outside worth about £40. In summing up, Mr Justice Richmond siid there was no doubt that if a man hands over jewellery to a girl to whom he is engaged, presuming that the articles were presents, if the engagement is eventually broken off the man has no legal claim to the jewellery; but, of course, it is generally the custom for a girl under such circumstances to return all presents so received. Tne jury returned a verdict for plaintiff (Meek). Tho question of costs was reserved for argument.