SINGULAR "SQUARING" CASE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3653, 30 March 1883, Page 4

SINGULAR "SQUARING" CASE.

Drury v. Ticbnax —This was an action brought by the plaintiff, Air G. Drury, superintendent of cargoes, 45, Balmes-road, Southgatc-road, to recover from the defendant, Air Carlo Tichuaz, superintendent of cargoes at London, outports, and the Continent, and having an office at 21, Great St. Helen's, City, the' sum of £12 19s Od expended on his behalf. Air Elias Davis, barrister, appeared for the plaintiff, and Air R. Robinson, solicitor, for the defendant. According to the opening statement of the learned counsel, the plaintiff was employed iy the defendant to superintend the weighniX of grain cargoes, whether in sacks or bulk, and, actiin/ou express instructions he was in the habit of paying gratuities to the meters, or weighing men. The money sued for was in this way paid out of pocket, and the plaintiff was clearly entitled to recover it. His Honor: AA r as this money paid to "square" these meters? Air Davis: It was paid as gratiuties. His Honor: For what purpose: Air Davis : For beer money, or as a present for extra services rendered. His Honor:_ Extra service is one thing, but " squaring" is quite another. The plaintiff was then called, and stated that he Avas engaged by the defendant at 7s per day. In his bill wherever "gratuities" occurred, it meant that the money Avas spent to "square " the meters, Avho kncAV that bis object was to get as much in his employer's favor as possible. His Honor: And that is effected by a system of bribery ? Plaintiff: "it saves trouble and expense. If I had sixteen gangs on board a ship I Avould Ikia-c to employ sixteen men, but instead of doing so, I ask the meters to let me have their averages, and Avhcn they are " tipped a bit " they give me a favour in the measurement. His Honour—ln point; of fact, they measure to your employer less or more, as the case may be. Plaintiff: Undoubtedly. Here is a letter from him. The letter was read, and in it the defendant Avrote, " If you don't square the meters and get these charges much lighter we shall lose the business, so it Avill be bad for all parties, and especially the men in our employ. You ought to striA-c to give our clients satisfaction, so look out." (Laughter.) His Honour : This is a nice little r.eptjiii:. I always understood that a motor was a public officer appointed by the Corporation to measure grain. Plaintiff : That is so ; but the money I am now suing for was spent in Belgian ports. His Honour: T must direct the jury that in point of IaAV the plaintiff can recover, but I will give him leave to appeal. It is a a gross fraud. Air Davis: I hope you will leave the jury to decide that. His Honor : No : 1 Avill tell them that a man employed to " square " meters or give bribes in any form is a party to a, fraud. I may be told that it is done every day and in every port, but that does not make it right. I will be very glad if there is an appeal, because the more publicity- that is given to a demoralising system like this the better. Under the direction of the learned Judge, the jury then returned a verdict for the defendant.