TO-DAY'S COURTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12066, 23 July 1917, Page 6

TO-DAY'S COURTS.

POLICE CASES. (Before Mr T. A. Ji. Bailey, S.M.) DRUN KEN NESS. Two men, first offenders, were each fined 5s for drunkenness. William Harrison and Patrick M'Ginn, second offenders, were each fined 10s. CIVIL CASES. Judgment' by default, with costs, was given for the plaintiffs in tho following cases: —-Thomas Mathewson a-. Thomas Clark, £163; New Zealand. Farmers' Co-operative Association v. Luke Thorns, £l6 3s Id; same -v. Charles John Dallison.. £l2 13s 9d ; Charles S. Thomas v. J. Gillespie, £1 lis fid: Ashby, Bergh and Co.. Ltd., v. W. H- Clement. £3 8s 7d: Wardell Bros, and Co. v. E. F. Campbell, £2 lis 2d ; same v. H. M. Salmon, £l2 13s 4d ; Nellie Eaton v. David "William Wilson. £2 10s; South Waimakariri River Board v Wjlliam Tubman, £35 10s ; W. 15. Scott and Co. v. C. Goodall, £!); Harris Bros. v. Francis Henry Whiteman, £1 14s. A PLOUGH CASE.

P. and T>. Duncan, Ltd. (Mr L. A. Dougall) claimed £4 2s 6d from Thomas Stevens (Mr Johnston) in respect to work done, on a plough. Mr Johnston said that at a previous hearing he had paid in £2 Is Od for labour and certain materials, and this was accepted by the Bench as correct, except in regard to certain specified items on which a non-suit was entered to allow the plaintiffs to rftit in another claim. Instead tho plaintiffs had merely put in the old statement of claim giving credit for the net amount paid into Court, and on this basis the Magistrate was going to be called upon to readjudicato on items already adjudicated on. He submitted that the onlv items to be claimed for were the. front nose, sixteen feet of gas pipe, and what labour was put in on the nose and tho swivel sheaths. Mr Dougall said that the labour charged for was not solely related to work done for new material supplied. For instance, the charge of £3 10s fid for the la bear of the plough-setter was only for setting up the plough'. The Magistrate said that he could only consider tho items mentioned by Mr Johnston.

Mr Don anil said that the case was brought. to disprove the charge that the pi a i nit ill's had charged for work not done. Evidence for the plaintiff was given bv G. T. Morgan, A. Hooper niul J. Kerr in respect to the work done. Mr Johnston, for the defence, said ihat at first lie had thought- that the. nose had been put on the plough m Ashhurton. hut in view ot the fact that the -inn had put. it on, although it was not ordered, he suggested that the Magistrate .should fix the value of putting the nose on. not charging the defendant with the cost of the second snirmioiis. Judgment was given for the plaintiffs for £1 10s. A SMALL CLATM. ■Robert Powell, aged fifteen (Mr Johnston'), claimed 1 '2s -Id from Jlobert Somniervillo in respect of the bagging of potaties The plaintiff said that lie had been originally engaged by Somniervilb; picking potatoes :t.t- 6d a bag for .small ones and 3d a bag for big one<*. When the other boys went back to school lie bad an extra week, and agreed to pick up -all round at 4d a, bag. On the Monday he collected .seventeen bags and on the Tuesday twenty. Evidence was given by two other beys regarding the talbos. The defendant slid that the tally on the two day? was thirty-seven, but of these lie had picked up two small sacks, and hi. l ; brothers two small sacks, whirli be had paid for. The remaining thirtythree r.acks were all large, and the price was 3d. J. Skirton also gave evidence regarding the price. Judgment, wa.s. given for the plaintiff for lis Sd with 10s costs.