“A TRUMPERY AFFAIR”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19125, 21 September 1936, Page 13

“A TRUMPERY AFFAIR”

MAID “ENTICEMENT” CASE

HOUSE OF LORDS VERDICT

LONDON, July 23. Lord Atkin, delivering tno reserved judgment of the House of Lords, yesterday., in the servant girt “enticement” ease, said: “The whole matter is a trumpery affair.” Tho original action was in the Kings Bench Division on November 19, 19,)5, when Herbert Mercer Stretch, of Applewood, Cookham Dean, sued iiis neighbour, Alexander Frederick Churchill Sun, of Old Barton, Cookham Dean, tor damages for enticing away his maid, Edith Sayillc, from Iter employment, and tor alleged libel contained in a telegram, said to have read: “Edith has resumed her service with'us today. Please send her possessions and the money you borrowed, also her wages, to Old Barton.- Sim.” Stretch was awarded £25 damages for the enticement and £250 tor the libel. The jury also decided that the telegram was sent in a malicious spirit. Sim appealed to tin 1 Court of Appeal against the award of £250 damages lor libel. The appeal was unsuccessful, and lie appealed to the House of Lords, who now set" aside the order of the Court of Appeal and the verdict and judgment at the trial on the issue of libel. Judgment was entered for Sim.

“I am at a loss to understand,” Lord Atkin commented, “why a person s character should he lowered in anyone’s estimation if he or she lias borrowed from a domestic, servant.”