CHINESE CRAFT

West Coast Times, Issue 11289, 11 May 1899, Page 4

CHINESE CRAFT

An amusting story, illustrative of Chinese craft was brought under the notice of the Melbourne Supreme Court on April 18 th, by Mr Cus^en, who appeared for tbe plaintiff in Schultz.v. Ah Lm». Schultz is an .elderly.^ German, carrying on, a farm at Bell-street, Pre3ton. A few days' before Christmas, ',11897, 'Ah Ling: came to buj pigs which Schultz agreed to sell for £45, ' the condition being ."No cash, no pigs." The pigs were sent next day in charge of Schultz's son, who was instructed not to deliyer Jjjem until paid. The lad drove the pigs in a cart to near the defendant's house in East Brunswick. There being a very bad road=4n front of the house, he left the cart some distance off on a good piece of road, and went to seek A.h Ling. Returning from the house, he saw Ah Ling leading the cart into the quagmira, until it'got stuck up to tbe axle. It wa impossible to* get the cart out without unloading the pigs. Ah Ling took, possessiuu of them and drove them into his cabbage garden^ The lad Iheu asked Ah Ling for payment. The Chinese . replied that he had been to the doctor ani had not had time to get the money, but would pay on Saturday. The lad returned' next day by his father's instructions to get the pig back, but was in formed that two had been already killed, and that the money would be forthcoming on Saturday. On Saturday a cheque for £45 was givon, but subsequently dishonored. The sum of £5 was afterwards paid on account, and on 3rd March, 1898, the complainant obtained'judgment for £36, with"£l 6s costs. As Ah Ling did not satisfy the judgment, he was brought up at Coburg Court on a fraud summons, aud ordered to pay off the debt by £5 monthly instalments, or go ro gaol. Ho now appealed to the Supreme Court, urging that there had been no fraud. Mr Justice Holroyd held there had been fraud, and refused to interfere* The money Ah Ling has wasted on cos's would have gone a good way to satisfy the original claim.