MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5504, 3 March 1896, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHEISTCHUECH. Tuesday, March 3. (Before Mr G. W. Eussell, J.P ., and Mr G. Tombs, J.P.) Drunkenness.— Two first offenders were fined 5s each and costs for this offence. Breaking and Entering. — James Pearson, alias Walls, aKas Johnston, was charged with having, on Feb. 27, broken into the house of Charles Parsons, at Opawa, and stolen therefrom two coats, one vest, one hat, one handkerchief and one shirt, valued at £2 6s 3d. Mr Donnelly appeared for the accused. • On the application of the police he was remanded for a week. (Before Mr E. Beetham, S.M.) : Civil Cases. — Judgment was given for plaintiffs by default with costs in the following cases *. — Westport-Cardiff Coal Company v. E. W. Young, claim .£34 6s IOd; same v. F. Ot. Page, .£l2 10s sd; same v. A. Horn, .£67 16s 9d; Beath and Co. v. Emma Whittington, lis 4d. — Abel and Elizabeth Ingledow v. Theresa Amyes, claim .£27 18s 7d, for wages. Mr Cresswell appeared for the plaintiffs and Mr Lane for the defendant. The plaintiffs' case was that in February, 1895, they had been engaged by the late Charles Amyes to work as married couple on his farm at the rate of .£7O per annum. On Oct. 7 Mr Amyes died only having paid thb plaintiffs .£l6. Mrs Amyes asked Ingledow to stay on till after the sale, promising that he should have all his wages, paid. Ingledow had told Mrs Amyes that there was money owing to them by the late Mr Amyes. The plaintiffs stopped on till Nov. 27, and Mrs Amyes paid them .£lO. Mr Lane submitted that any guarantee by Mrs Amyes to pay wages due by her late husband to the plaintiffs should have been in writing.- The defendant, in her evidence, stated that her husband's estate had proved to be insolvent. There were no assets. After her husband's death her step-sons told her that they would do what, work there was to be done, and it was therefore useless for Ingledow to be kept on. Mrs Amyes informed Ingledow of this, and he said he did not feel inclined to go without his money, and would stop on till after the sale. The defendant then told him that if he did so he had better look after things as usual, and she would pay him. She gave him .810. Ingledow told defendant that there was money owing to him by the late Mr Amyes, and she told him he would have to wait till the farm was sold, and then Mr Loughrey would arrange with him. She did not promise to pay the plaintiffs themoney owing to them by her late husband, nor on the other hand did she say that she would not. His Worship gave judgment for the defendant. —City Council v. J. M'Grath, claim ,£3 3s, damages for trespass of pigs on the City Council's reserve between Linwood and New Brighton. Mr Fisher appeared for the plaintiffs, and Mr Hoban for the defendant. The defence was that the pigs did not belong to M'Grath, but to his wife. On the application of Mr Fisher Mis M'Grath's name was substituted for that of the present defendant, and the case was adjourned.