LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 22, 26 September 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Judgment was given by default in tiie loilowing cases at the Court this morning:—Win. Harris v. W. D. Murdoch, £1 os sd, costs £ 1 J Isj McCluggage Bros. v. William Smith, £6 Ids lid. costs £1 Os (id.

A team from New Plymouth Rifle Club visited Kapouga yesterday and flred a match with the local club at 300, 000 and 000yds. The weather was all in favor of good shooting. Tho aggregate scores were: Kaponga 033, New Plymouth 913.

In the judgment summons case, Harknefis and Grimmfer v. AV. J. Thomason at tlie Court this morning there was no appearance of judgment creditor, who was ordered to pay £5 16s 8d forthwith, in default seven days’ imprisonment. In the case Central Co-op. Store v. J. J. Flowers, an order was made for the payment of 2s 6d per week.

The height of popularity attained in Stratford by the New Plymouth Operatic Society was evidenced by the largo audience which enthusiastically greeted the production of “A Country Girl” in the Town Hall last night, as shown by the door takings, which amounted to £lO6 10s, as compared with £75 on the occasion when “The Geisha” was staged here.

Mr J. B. Richards secured a very remarkable lizard, with unusual spotted markings, when at AVhangamomona the other day. The pretty little creature was so anxious for an outlet to Stratford that it stowed away in Mr Richards’ overcoat pocket and did not show up until well on the home journey, a , reliable informant states. The specimen was submitted to painless death under chloroform and is to bo preserved.

“I would like to see the Magistrate’s Court the people’s Court, and the procedure.made as simple as possible,” said Mr Eenrick at the Court this morning. It was a very timely remark, being made in regard to a case about which half an hour’s preliminary argument had to be gone through before the merits of the case came .into, sight., After all the . .argil- , ment, an .adjournment was granted, , and the merits may possibly be promptly entered into at the sitting on October 10th. r-

in, conversation with the Mayor of Stratford (Mr W. P. Kirkwood) and Mr J. B. Pilchards (President of the Chamber of Commerce) regarding their visit to Whaugamomona, a representative of the “Stratford Post” learned that Mr Moore, the enterprising setler who*is to start a coach service between Whaugamomona and the Main Trunk, proposes commencing next month. The distance is sixty-seven miles, and the road is quite as good—if not better— than the StratfordWhangamomona coach road. It is understood the coach fare will he 32s 6d right through. It will be necessary to spend one night at Ghura in making the journey.

The swimming season shows signs of arriving early this year, and the school committee' is taking steps to put the bath in good order previous to opening. A sub-committee was »et up at last meeting of the committee to go into the question of improvements, and this sub-committee has now Jet a tender for the erection of necessary sanitary conveniences and is making anangeinents for the laying of a strip of concrete round the edge of the bath which will prevent any surface water getting into, the bah.

A great deal of time is always wasted in the Court over judgment summons cases, owing to the judgment debtor failing to turnlsli reasonably full and precise particulars regarding the amount of earnings since the judgment was obtained. As this informattion is practically the only essential point in a debtor’s evidence, it can bo understood that debtors’ laxncss in this matter can easily cause very much delay. In one case at the Court this morning the judgment debtor held up the work of the Court while details of a very vague nature regarding his wages, debts and payments were painfully dragged from him. A. consideration which should weigh with debtors in persuading them to present lucid statements of affairs is that the most innocently unintentional befogging arising from vague statements may quite justifiably he interpreted by the Bench as intentional befogging and an order he made in cases, in which, with a lucid statement of affairs, no order would he made.

An uncomplimentary remark addressed at the Court this morning by a judgment debtor to counsel for jucig-j mont creditor: “I have a cleaner record in my business than you have in yours.” For this remark and also ''for advising counsel to go into debtor’s business and see how much money he could make ..t t, debtor was severely reprimanded by the Court, the S.M. saying that such remarks could not be allowed in any circumstances. Walter S. V. A. Sparwath was charged at tho Court this morning A with having failed to close his shop at the proper time oh September 13th. Sergeant McNeely, Inspector of Factories, said that at 9.15 on Saturday, September 13th, he found defendant’s shop open. The front door was open and there were two or three people in the shop apparently transacting business. The requisition of the shopkeepers was to the effect that all shops except bakers, hairdressers, fruiterers and confectioners should close at c) p.m.—Defendant, in evidence, said that at 7 p,m. a wire mattress was purchased, and the purchaser caked in at 9.15 to get it. The door had >..heen closed at 9 o’clock.—To Sergt. McNeely: He had been warned about shutting the door.—A fine of 20s, with costs 7s, was imposed. ____________