A MISSING DEFENDANT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16606, 9 December 1924, Page 11

A MISSING DEFENDANT.

ACTION AGAINST FERGUS DUNLOP

FURTHER ADJOURNMENT

The failure of ihe defendant to appeal' recpssitafed a further adjournment of the Supreme Court this afternoon, when the action in which Matanga Taihuka, as trustee for other native.-', proceeded against. Fergus Gale Dun-lop and his wife for the sum of £3343 and the transfer of certain mortgages, had been set down for hearing. The ease was lo have- been heard yesterday, but when it was called the defendant did not appear, and it- was stated that he had been communicated witb last week and informed of the condition of the Court.

Mr. L. T. Burnard, who appeared for the plaintiffs, said he did not like to proceed in the absence of Hie defendant, and in consequence tho case was adjourned until to-day. This afternoon ii was intimated that a telegram had been received from the defendant, from Opotiki, stating that he would arrive in Gisborne tec-night. After consultation it- was again decided to adjourn the case, which has now been set down for 10 o'clock lo morrow.

Tic failure of Iho rase te proceed has interfered considerably with the work of the session. Other eases were set down for hearing to-morrow and Thursday, bid practically no business was arranged for yesterday or today, with the result that yesterday the (.'our) did not sit after 11 o'clock in the morning, while to-day it lias not even been opened. In addition to llio ease referred lo tliwe is another ease in which Diiiilop is the defendant sel down for hearing to-morrow, and also a complicated case involving the transfer of an alinn's property, so that- while flu"Court has been practically disengaged for ihe last two daye, 10-morrow it will have a,very full .lav', provided the thus' case., oroceed.