THE RIGHTS OF A LANDLORD. An Amusing Case

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 204, 21 May 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE RIGHTS OF A LANDLORD. An Amusing Case

In the R.M. Court at Cambridge, Waikato, th« otiier clay, there was afforded an amusing illustration of " put yourself in bis j place," forming an instructive commentary upon the agrarian troubles in Ireland. Tho Jam Factory Company, at Cambridge, is in course of liquidation, and the plant of the Company was sold to a Mr Forrest for £15. But the plant) was in premises belonging to a Mrs Murphy, and the lady refused to let the plant bo taken away until her claim for rent was satisfied. The result was a civil action to recover £15, the value of the plant, and to damages for detention. The case was defended by Mr O'Neill, solicitor, and as might have been expected from the predominance of the Hibernian ele menfc, there were many explosions of wit in the course of the hearing. Tho firsUaughable episode was during the examination of Mr Forrest, who deposed to waiting on Mrs Murphy. Said Mr O'Neill : Now did you threaten to shoot Mrs Murphy if she wouldn't give up the plant ? Well, yes, I did say something about ib. (Laughter. ) Now, what do you mean by that ? O, I only meant that she was the landlord, and that was how the tenants do in Ireland ! (Renewed laughter. ) Well, I don't see how that applies. 0, yes it does. You see this time it was the English tenant going to shoot the Irish landlord ! (Renewed laughter. ) The R.M. : Well, perhaps it's only fair, but the change seems a long while in coining. This, however, was rather capped by the secretary of the company, Mr Westby, for when he was in the box, Mr O'Neill asked him if he anticipated a row when he and Mr Forrest went for the plant. " Yes, I did," said the witness "And why?" asked the counsel. "0, because I had heard of her before, and she is a countryman of my own !" This sally was greeted with roars of laughter, in which all joined heartily, the witness included. But probcibly the greatest amusernenfc was caused by Murphy himself, who, being asked whothev he had not been in possession of the premises in dispute, and used them repeatedly lately, denied the statement point blank. " What," said Mr Dyer, "is it not a fact that you have been hammering almost incessantly there lately V " Well, I have," said the witness. " Then what were you doing ?" " Well, the tr*th is, I have had nothing to do, so I just went and hammered to give my wife and the people around the idea that I had a lot of work on hand ! " A perfect yell of laughter followed the l'eply. Despite all the ingenuity of Mr O'Neill, who fought an uphill battle very determinedly, his clients lost the day. Very naturally the energetic Murphy and his spouse majr coinplafai of " another injustice to Ireland 1"

A little Buffalo boy, saying his prayers, got along nicely until almost through, bufc concluded thus :— " God bless papa and make— please wait a minute till I kick Vio." Little sister Violet had interrupted the littlo brother's devotional exercise bytickling the bottom of his bare feet with a broom splint.