LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 438, 22 February 1909, Page 8

LAW REPORTS.

SUPREME COURT. CIVIL ■'":■■■. A BUILDING DISPUTE. ' Tho action between Staiinton and Kirigi contractors, and tbo Wellington Education Boaid, was continued on ; Saturday before Mr. Justice Cooper. The action-was in respect to tho removal of a schoolhouse at the upper Hutt. It was provided. in tho contract that all decayed timbers should bo replaced by .heart, pieces. 'There was a dispute as to tho meaning, of.,'.'decayed 'timber."' Mr. Levi appeared for plaintiffs, and Mr. Johnston for tho defendant board. '. Further evidence was called for. the defendants' case. ■-,'■■■'■. V '~-■. . -Ernest :' W. 6. • Colridge, architect,.. said that the term "decayed timber" was • understood in the building'trade'to mean timber that. had perished, chiefly through hav-ing-been' subject to changes of wet and dry weather.' In.his opinion, the word-'fde-fective":in the specifications .included wormeaten timber.-, / -~.-;.■''■■ v '. ; . The following • witnesses were also examined':—Ge<S. Frost, builder; , Alexander J. Hand, builder; James L Eviosell, builder; and Geo..T.' Croft, builder.;' .. ,",:-. '.'••■ ■,; His Honour said that the main question was .-/as to 'the -meaning of ;,the .term- "decayed, timber"—whether; it included wormeaton timber. , . There was one point the parties, might consider;, assuming, the contract ■was', rendered, impossible of /performance by: reasonTofVa gale, , a .question. might arise as to the. board could, under, the conditions,". retain .'■■' material: that belonged to 'plaintiffs, and- that they: had dohe. : , ■; : ';;. At this. stage the case was adjourned,. and argument of counsel' will be .heard, on a' day to :bo .subsequently"'fixed. '\ ,- . .-:' \ ;:...'/, Z ■:. -::ii "WILL CASE. -'' 'I,':"- '; . ■ ■ This was; a will. case; in which Nancy Bridge claimed from Alfred Booth .and the I'Ublic -Trustee,- £268 ,and interest, under a legacy, left' by ..the lite. William Booth, of the : ...';. ■ : . .-'■•. :, : : ' 'Mr;Von fiaast appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. : ,W. H. D. Bell .for ;;.;,:,,,' : . 'Tlie' statement' "of claim"setVforth that plaintiff's, father," Williom;. Booth, 0f... TaTatahi, -Wairarapa,- :lato Sawmill proprietor,-on March 26, .1879, made his' will,"under -which -lie'.: appointod vAlfred Booth". ; arid "'Frederick A'. ; Krull,' of Wellington; executors;-''and be-; queathed'to them , ; all his property oh. trust. The .testator left a legacy £300 to-the plaintiff, his .'daughter. : , In; August 1591, , ' Alfred ,Booth jemitted'to-plaihtiii 10s: on account, but" never remitted < the balance •of - £263.:. .'Haintift , ■. that. .Alfred Booth' received the 'legacy. and,";in breach of his..trust,;,paid .the'.balance of £268.t0 himself and the.ltev: Wni; 'Boothi', as"-'partners.' Plaintiff therefore 1. claimed , frony both. ,'de- , fenflants 'the suni of £268,■■.balance.of.:the legacyj of £300,- and interest; and' plaintiff, also ;asked - : that accounts ■ of the -trust 'estate .bVtakeiv;and that plaintiff's/shaio, he,;as'certainedj '.together, with 'interest thereon; ' i.Tbe statement of 'defence set out that :the' plaintiff desired to ;Brittle'; herself ■ in., a store 'at iCarter'tonj"' but was without Ifunds for that -purpose; '." Sho. applied to deferidr arit,'Alfred Booth, and to the firm of; Booth and- Co.',;-and^equested';them..to'.make -ad; yances to; ber : against, her .legapy •; of £300, which was- not tlien payable ■ to' her, as her mother. was alive;;and "that she agreed to .■pay.iiiitefesty-'upon, such : advances';';'and' it' ■ was .accordingly, agreed/between tho. plaintiff and Messrs.- Booth ! arid' 1 .C 0..;. and.\Alfred Booth;' that. Booth and" Co. should*'make advances 'in 'nioiie'y ; ; arid supply; , : goods: on credit'.to; plaintiff,', and; that '-plaintiff pay interest, on such: advances-and'.ori. the price,.of-(such goods. '.Defendant denied ■that he converted -to ,his>iise the-.£26B.;''' ;-' ; Tlie"-plaintitf■ ■ (Nanby',Bridge),' and William./ Bridge, .'gave .evidence .in. support .of plaintiff's':case—plaintiff asserting that;she was ,',simp)y : placed ( 'jn .-charge., as ;niana'ger for. Booth '''and ' Co.:-" - ;"' *" .- '•' ■•'•'Mr;- , Bell then "stated.'.'. defendantypease. Eosaid.that/plaintiffcamoout to New' Zealand; without any, money,'. and asked to,,beallowcd t<3 go into the store.; Defendants advanced'/ her ,moriey,;;and ,■ purchaseij; ;the ; store's j and: thoy were- prepared accoun for. -thev'money. advanced.;- .'• They'supplied , ! plaintiff with f goods' on credit, arid-agreed tb; wait,for repayment until' the ■'••legacy became'payable.;'; Defendants "had; no, idea, of; i going'.;: into ; sto'rekeeping themselves,.; and -did not continue tho. business after. plaintifF left New,"Zealand. ,'■'■'■'■/'. '- .:■■:{'<■}.; :,•;■ ■' :-k''-' : / : : ■; Alfred: Booth, iii. his. evidence,: said that the suggestion: about taking the store came ■from.Mrs'; Bridge—who went, into the busi-' ness ..on.■her:...own, account; , ;-;'iDefendants : at that 'time had: not" the; slightest. .'idea , .':;; of; "running"; the-store.. All,the.accounts;, ivere. mado 'out'in'the" name' of Mrs/ Bridge. ■:''■■ '.'■'•.-.Thpnias V: .J.i.vißathbone, timber-raorchaut,; bookkeeper. ;for..Messrs_.: Booth arid ,Cpl,, deposed;, that 'hisV,instructions ;>verq;,/to charge; the'.accounts for ißoods' obtained for tho store;.against.-Mrs.' Bridge, andvciedit her ;with; fill -moneys she .-paid, over l -.io , him ;as;accountant.;; When, Mrs. Bridge -left tho store, the'goods were, all .sold, (and thelmsiness":. wound : : up. ■ .;.::■■..-; . ; ; ; ..,;- ; : .- j.lt .'.was agreed, to take ..'counsel's: argu•.mention a ; futurej.da'y^-!.The: Court ihon ;ad;j6urned;. y : =<'"'■'-':;,. ;V' : --" ; ?i ''; : .- : '";-U. : ■'■;. '-."'.; ■

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

&.. Riddell, ) ■?,■;} ..■;. : . ; A- SMBBY :','' ■■ !; I '■■::[ TEADIN(3'ON A DISASTER.: /■ ; V : ; A■ young ; , man.' named John 'Wm.'Campbell was .charged (1) with ihsobriety,"\(2) with" haying ;on February, 18 obtained; of ./and from one - Frederick "S. Taylor cakes, to.the ''value ;of<l9s. 6d. by means of ; a' certain'false pre'r. tence,', and' (3) 'with having,.;on February 19,; iobtained.lß cpneert tickets;;yalued_ at'.*£2 25., : rthe'prorierty. of Mr. .Ji 0. Williamson, .■ by ;,means of' false pretences. ".■'.; •";'"; !,%'Accused pleaded, guilty ...to ~the . three. Ichayges."^:';,;- ;':; : ;V ■/■'■"' '.'•. :'■ : ; : ;! :, 'i; ..■;'■■'••'■■ -y ' ?In';eplightM\ing thß.Court'as. tq.'accused'a. behaviour, 'vGhief .Detective ■ Broberg . stated that .Campbell ~rang up, Mr.. Taylor! b shop, .andj-.gjying' another ..person's. nam«)j .iiiquirea, •'the price;pf:.different..kinds,of cakes, saj'ing that heVandvhine .or ten others were, arrang-; ing a.surprise V.party.. He : arranged that the pastry,; ,Bent toc;;a,:certain' address,. and ible instruotipn ..was acted upon,', but,'in taking;the'■:goods tp 'the place men-' tioned ;by accused,',the'people of -the .said there some;mistake, 'aind .would .not take, delivery'of Cthem. ■:■ The goods ..were'; 'taken' back toiythoish6p,, ; and accused \then rrang'up.againVand sdia;that'there/had been; ia; misunderstanding , ":as'f.to. , 'wiiere they should be delivered.:. He. they 7 should;b6' ; : ;sent,jto,•ascertain;.'hotel,,..!wliere they, were, ; duly,' delivered. . TlieVcharge, about tbe tickets; the Penguin' benefit matinee at the Opera House. -. A'ccused';app'arently. knew that a : nuinber , of ipeoplo:',were,'assisting in the sale of. tickets".for. the,matinee,' and. ho communicated with'one'.rof.'Mr.; J. C. \Vil-: liamson's clerks,', and,'.giving' : the name .of a resident of Tafanald ; Street,;asked ! for a num-; ber of tickets toi;'sell.-viHe: : 'gpt ; the. tickets;, and,, subsequently ,, returned: for ■ some 'more. ! .\Vhen found : lator/'he was J .in ;a" drunken; '.condition, and had: only five'of the, tickets, '•left.; .Accused had .15 .prenous: cpnvictions j :against his name,.and ;had only recently.been're'leased from'"jjaoliv : ": : i ' : '"'■. '.■'■■■"■'■. .•; :1' On tho; first charge.;a ; ;cphviction : _and .fine of tlOs., .in... default .48 .hours' imprisonment impbsedi' , and: oirthe second .charge,ac-. "to- two months' im-i ip'nspnm'ent,.; whilst, on .the. third ' chargo , a. ''seiiionce':bf three.'months' imprisonment.was. :e'nfered,;the sentences to'be cumulative. ; . ; {'■■■^jiMs : !oth;er:;cases.', : y ■ ■. :: :.'■■. v ■ •'Kitty'Hoi)kin;s,';alias' Sauiiders, and Maude Johhsbn'appqared.'.in' answer , ; to' separate, charges' ■ of. impoi'titriiiig. .:[■ Station-Sergeant. Darby stated that'one of , the accused came, from Auckland, and '.the' other arrived from' Christchurch. Nothing'was known , about the accused previous to ..the, present , charge' . ■.; His Worship said ;he would ,; like to ,know,';-something more/aboiit the , accused. 'They would both be/ remanded to Tebruary 24 for sentence.:■■;■■■''■''■, i. "•'■.. '>A;> ■■-. fOne' first' offender, charged ; with-drunken-ness; but who failed to appear, ! was; con,victod and ' fined !10s.; -.'w.ith ' the" alternative of iß'hciuca'imprißonwent!. ■■■■ ..