MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1175, 10 July 1911, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Biddell, S.M.) A HOT CHASE. DAY-AND NIGHT j\ a MOTOR. Some interesting evidence was given bv flic plaintiff in the Magistrate's Court on Saturday inorning. Tlio case was one in which Albert James Davey, agent, of Stratford, proceeded against Michael Daniel Murphy, farmer, late of Wnngamii (but now about to leave (ho Dominion), to recover the sum of ,£73 195., alleged to be duo to the plaintiff by the defendant as;commission on the sale of a farm at Westmerc, near Wanganui, being commission at the rate of 2S per cent, on ,62957 )<s. Mr. G. H. Toogood appeared for the plaintiff, but the defendant did not appear. Plaintiff's case was to the eiTect that on hearing that defendant had left Wanganui, and was about to leave the Dominion, he (plaintiff) left Stratford for Wellington by motor-car at 1 p.m. on .Thursday, and travelling day and niglit, reached Wellington, via the Wairarapa, at 11.30 a.m. on Friday, and called on Mr. Toogootl, stating that he was looking for the defendant. Strangely enough, the latter was in the office at the very moment that plaintiff arrived, being in the custody of the bailiff, under writ of arrest for another claim. Although' defendant had remitted a draft to England just previously, he had not in his possession sufficient money to pay the amount mentioned. in the writ of arrest in the other claim, and the bailiff, in execution of his duty, took him away, to return him to-'Wanganui. However, before the train left, defendant had made arrangements'to .pay the mono;.-, and was consequently released. The plaintiff's summons was issued on Friday afternoon, and the defendant was served the same night, and called on to appear on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock. He did not appear when called on, and in his absence ~Hr. Toopood proceeded to prove the plaintiff's claim. I.t was slated that, defendant had booked passage from ]\yttellon to'England'by boat leaving next Saturday. After partial hearing, the case was adjourned until L'.l"> p.m. to-day, POLICE CASES. . " ' An old olfemler, named George Hastings, alias Taylor, admitted having stolen on Thursday last a quantity of zinc, value 55., the property of Arthur Bernard Thomson. Accused had just recently returned from I'akatoa Island, and he had been seven times previously convicted of theft. He was fined 405., with the alternative of fourteen days' imprisonment. * John Henry Brookes, who pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness, was fined 205., with the alternative of seven days' imprisonment. He was also prohibited for, a year; Gustavo Petersen, charged with drunkenness, was declared a habitual inebriate, and sentenced to twenty-one days' imprisonment. A first-offending inebriate, who did not appear, was ordered to forfeit ■ his bail of 10s., and another first offender v.as fined 55., with the usual alternative.