MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7253, 27 August 1891, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. (Before B. Beetham, Esq., R.M.) Civil Cases. — Judgment was given for plaintiffs by default in the following cases : —Booth and Co. v. Grey and Coley, £15; Same v. Osborne, £2 13s 3d; Goss v. Scarlett, £1 12 a; Hobbs and Co. v. Miles, JEB 0s 3d ; Same v. Ritchey, £14 0s 6d; Same v. Moore, £1 0s 10d.— Trent v. Rhodes, claim £80. Mr Russell for plaintiff ; Mr Kippenberger for the defence. The hearing of this case was continued. George T. Booth, engineer : Saw the machine at Rhodes'. Had not seen one like it before. It appeared to have been made experimentally. If the machine waß of value to Mr Rhodes, the parts claimed would, as a machine, be worth the £150, the coßt of the parts and the coat of putting it together. The details of the machine did not tally with the plan produced. It would coat about £15 to take the machine to pieces. A. T. Hart, patent agent: Drew the plan (produced) of the wool-cleaning machine, about which he was consulted by both Rhodes and Trent. A. M. M'Kellar : Sawi both Trent and Henderson about the Lanoline account in Gresson's estate. Mr Henderson said that he thought Rhodes' interest was much the same as his. Mr Trent said that Rhodes had no interest. Understood that Henderson had an interest in the experiments until £200 had been spent, and that then he dropped out. James Milligan, foreman to defendant: Made the machine from directions given him by Ehodeß. Jabez Rhodes, wool scourer, and defendant in the action *. Claimed to be a partner in the scheme with Gresaon's estate, Henderson and Trent. It would damage the machine j to take it to pieces. It was in the end of 1889 I tbat he saw Barnett and Trent with regard • to cleaning wool by benzine. Experiments , were made, and witness suggested the ( lines of a machine. A meeting was afterwards held, by which Messrs Gresson, Trent, Henderson, and himself each held a ,

. fourth share of the patent, witness givii ff . his time and the use of his premises. The other three paid a third of the cost each, witness finding plant and material for carrying ont the experiments. In February Trent began to grumble at the amount of the contributions, and witness agreed to finish the machine for £5. They were to float a Company for Christchurch and allow him -61000 for his work. This was not carried out. He admitted that the material put into the machine by himself now belonged to the syndicate.