CONTRACTS ON SUNDAY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 170, 8 April 1918, Page 6

CONTRACTS ON SUNDAY

AN OLD STATUTE. There is a prevailing idea that a contract signed oh a Sunday is not enforceable. This was 'the question decided in an action heard at the District Court, Mudgee, Victoria, last month. Edward Henry Blackman, grazier, of Wollnr, sought to recover £300 damages for alleged breach of agreement, by the failure to deliver, as contracted, 100 head of cattle, from AV. James, grazier, of By long. The defence was that the defendant oid not agree to deliver the- stock as alleged, and that plaintiff was not prepared to carry out the contract. It was further pleaded that as the contract was made on a Sunday it had ro legality. Decision was roserved. His Honour, in his reserved decision, stated that the contract was made and signed on Sunday, September 23, 1917. but was dated September 24, 1917. and was knowingly so dated to ronceal the fact that it was made and signed on a Sunday. The defendant refused to be bound by the contract, .-nd in that way repudiated it before the b'-eaek, but not on the ground that the contract was unlawful for being made on a bunday. Plaintiff suffered damages by the breach of contract to the 'amount of £200. The contract was not unlawful within the meaning of Statute 29, Charles 11, chapter 7, section I.' A verdict for the plaintiff lor -LM) was given.