SOUTHLAND NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14447, 13 February 1909, Page 10

SOUTHLAND NOTES.

(FKOU 001 l OWH CORRESPONDENT.) INVEUCAKGILL, February 12. A case willi a rather comio sido 1o"it was 1 threshed out at tho Magistrate's Court to-day, Somo time ago Gertrude Gooid sued Wilfred Thomson ior the recovery oi u lottcr, which sho alleged he was wrongly keeping. The sum of £2 damages was claimed, and owing to a misunderstanding there was jio defence. Judgment was given lor the amount claimed, and an order was made for the return of tho letter, A rehearing was granted, and at the rehearing 10-diiy further light was thrown on the case. It appears that tho girl Goold want to board at Thomson's house, partly as servant and partly is boarder, assisting in tho housework, and paying 5s a week lor board. The girl wis in tho hospital for. f.omc fou: weeks undergoing an oneration,' and when she camo back she was too weak loassist in the housework. An arrangement wa;; made that sho should pay I2s 6(1 a week during tho time oho was unable to work. During tho second week she was in the country, but tho third week she returned, and at the. end ot that time she left Thomson's house. Then she, discovered that Thomson had jiossession of a letter written to lier by her young man, ami coßtnirung certain sUilcutcnU. which flie whued to keep private. She alleged that Thomson had kept the ■letter so an lo foro her lo pay certain board money, •.vlueii hf said was still owing. He refused to give the letter 7ip, although asked three limes to do so. She taid that Thom-on threatened to show the letter to pcoplo '" to show her up." Thomson's defence was that the letter was found by him lying at lu t'i'le, that it concerned certain sta!'.' ne'iili. and certain advice from the young ini't to tho girl as to the advisability of denying possession of certain. bUnlwts." In tho eircuniilaueea Tlioiuson thought it better to baud the letter lo the girl'i fiilhcr, and ho subsequently handed it to th:i ]K>liee. They made inquiricH, and iulvhc.l Mr Goold to take private action. He, l:< wovcr, retained possession of the letter, ami refused to part with it. After hearing tho evidence in tho rase tho magistrate confessed himself temporarily at a loss, and ho reserved his decision.

This case was followed by a further action by Thomson against Gertrude Gould and Vno writw o[ the lotlor (Ivor Wilson) for Z5-i for two weeks' board. It seems that Wilson guaranteed payment of the board money. It came out iii'eviduncc that. Thomson hail taken steps to terminate Miss Gould's period of lodging in his house. In cross-examination Wilson admitted that ho had written the following to Miss Goold: "About the blankets, Gertie. If they say you took them you swear that, you didn't, •Your word is as Rood as theirs'is. because they didn't sco you take them, and if over they accuse you of Inking- them you accuse them of telling lies and blaming you for what you Tiaveii'l. trot. I Ihink you should give them to me, Gertie, sheets and all; I lieu 1 will deny knowlcd-o of same, and toll Mrs Thomson lo say she never saw or knew nnvtliiiiir about thorn, then I can slow them away for future use " Wilson, however, declared that these slidements w<m-o made more in "barrack," and were not meant seriously. Judgment in this caso was given for the amount, claimed less 6s, which had apparently been paid over.