Otautau.

Southland Times, Issue 12023, 14 May 1892, Page 3

Otautau.

(FROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.)

The new Town Hall was used as a Court house for the first time on Friday. Mr Rawson R.M.expressed himself highly pleased with the premises and the acoustic properties of the hall. His Worship disposed of the following business : — \V. Uroad v. \V. Johnstone—Claim of L 3 10s lid for which judgment by default ; costs, 18s. —Robert Campbell v. Stephen James. Mr Henderson for plaintiff and Mr Wade for defendant. Plain:iff sued for L 6 lis 3d, value of goods supplied and money lent in 1887. A set off was put in by defendant for harvest work done in lSß7for A. Mills, over whose crop, stock and plant Campbell held security. Defendant contended that the money paid him was on account of work dono for Mills and the plaintiff averred that it was money lent to James. Mills gave evidence in favour of defendant. Mr Henderson objected to the set off not being in legal order, but the Court overruled this, and gave judgment for the defendant; costs, LI 18s. —Jane Salton v. Charles Bates, Mr Henderson for plaintiff, who claimed L 6 10s for oats and chaff supplied to defendant, and for which he had given a promissory note. Afterwards he discovered that the plaintiff had not given him credit for L 4 paid on account and he now paid into Court the sum of L' 2 10s. Judgment for defendant without costs. The School Committee has elected Mr John Lindsay chairman and Mr Cilehrist Secretary. Poor Otautau appears to be always unfortunate in its relationship with the County Council. For years our riding has been charged, admittedly illegally, with nearly half of the interest upon the whole of the Council's overdraft, and now the Council have practically broken the contract with the contractor for the bridge at the Yellow Rltiff by calling him away from this very important work to do some repairs to a bridge in another riding without consulting the interest of this district in the least, and notwithstanding the district by private contributions and the General Government contributing more than two-thirds of the cost of the bridge. It would appear that there is not another bridge repairer in the whole of Southland or that in tho eyes of the Council it is a matter of small moment when and how our bridge gets built. tith May.