A Curious Case.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7187, 11 June 1891, Page 4

A Curious Case.

ENGAGEMENT PRESENTS. [Per Fbbss Association.] WELLINGTON, June 10. The case was resumed this afternoon. la her evidence, the defendant said that > Meek aßked her to marry him, and she 1 assented on condition that her engagement ' should not be made known for the time 1 being. The plaintiff pressed her to accept 1 the jewellery; and made no conditions 1 about returning it. Witness had spent 1 some £25 in getting things preparatory to her marriage, but subsequently, finding that plaintiff had deceived her as to his house, she wrote breaking off the engagement. Her first impulse was to return all the jewellery, according Mr the recognised custom under such circumstances. She received an insulting letter from the 1 plaintiff: he reminded her of the articles of jewellery he had given her, and demanded them back. She burned the letter, and after consideration determined not to return the jewellery. A jeweller gave evidence that the articles under disputewere at the outside worth about J240. Xn'summing up, Mr Justice Richmond said there was no doubt that if a man hands over jewellery to a girl to whom he is engaged, presuming that the articles are presents, if the engagement is eventually broken off, the man has no legal olaim to the jewellery j bnt, of course, it is generally the custom for the girl, under such circumstances, to return all presents so received. The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff. The question of coats waa reserved for argument,