MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Southland Times, Issue 24448, 30 May 1941, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

THURSDAY (Before Mr R. C. Abernethy, S.M.) Judgment was given for plaintiffs by default with costs in the following civil claims:—Bonney Brothers v. John MacKenzie (West Plains) for £l/1/costs; Rice Brothers, Ltd. v. G. Baker for £2B/3/2, costs £4/3/6; Tappers, Ltd. v. Edward Richardson (Mokoreta) for £4/14/-, costs £l/7/6; Parker and Keane, Ltd. v. R. J. McLean (Niagara) for £l5/15/-, costs £2/18/-; the Farmers’ Dairy Federation, Ltd. v. W. D. Blackie (Springfield) for £2 10/-, costs £l/5/6; MacGregor and Trim, Ltd. v. J. O’Neill (Christchurch) for £3, costs £l/19/-. Thomas Erskine (Mr J. H. B. Scholefield) claimed £57/12/8 from his deceased father’s estate, the Public Trustee (Mr S. M. Macalister) being the defendant. The Magistrate gave judgment for the amount claimed with £6/8/- costs.

Kenneth Faithful Meikle, labourer, of Ryal Bush (Mr K. G. Roy), claimed £2O/15/- from Claus Adolf Junge, farmer, of North Makarewa (Mr R. T. Meredith), for cutting 30 cords of wood and cleaning a ditch. The defendant counter-claimed £29/10/6 for oats and chaff and the use of horses.

After hearing the evidence the Magistrate said the case was the result of a private squabble between men who had for years lived as neighbours and helped each other. The matters in dispute dated back several years. It was a question of which party should be believed. The evidence for the plaintiff was not very satisfactory. He gave judgment for the plaintiff on the claim for £6/7/6 and for the defendant on the counter-claim for £2O/19/6 with £5/1/- costs.