Magistrate's Court.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12550, 10 May 1904, Page 3

Magistrate's Court.

«. ' Monday, May 9th.— Before M£ .T. Hutchison, S.M. FIRE BRIGADE V. A. CLELAND. vJaptain Bollriuger and other members of the Hew Plymouth Fire Brigade sued Alan Cleland for the recovery of certain goods, or, in the alternathe a claim of £5 15s 6d, and Is damages. Mr Quilliam (Govett and Quilliam) appeared for the Brigade, and Mr Claude 11. West on (Weston and Weston) for i\w defendant. When the Court resumed at 2 o',lock, Mr Weston called, John W. Lye, who stated he was a member of the New Plymouth Fire Brigade. For some years a few of th« members of the Brigade had shown an animus towards Cleland. If ;t; t had not been for those members he did not think this position of affairs would have been created. John Smith. Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, stated he had been a member of the Brigade for eight years, but was not now. Two members of the Brigade persecuted Cleland by dragging in his private affairs. He protested against their actions. Those two were the "bell wether*," and the others followed them. His Worship : Why did you not move a vote of want of confidence in them? Witness : Because sonrte of their actions were not worthy of notice, in fact beneath rontempt. His Worship asked how it was that Captain Bellringer and other officers allowed the persecution of Cleland to continue. Witness said that it was a matter of policy to let the firemen he had mentioned have their way because Cleland, as it were, wai a thorn in the side of these firemen. Moreover, Cleland's friends, including himself, gradually dropped out of the Brigade and his opponents then got the upper hand. Mr Weston : Can you say that other members of ,the Brigade,., as well us Cleland, hav,eL had acquaintance with the law? I don't wish to menlion names. Witness ; Some of them are not Patron Saints. His Worship : But they don't profess to be Patron Saints. " Witness : But they expect Cleland to be one. Witness, in answer to Mr Quilliam, stated he had not been a member of the Brigade for the past three years. This was the evidence for the de'Vnre. After hearing the argument of counsel, his Worship reserved his leeision till Friday. He stated he had no doubt about the case, but in fairness to Mr Weston he' would look into the cases that he had quoted. The Court rose.