PRIVATE GRIEVANCES.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 427, 8 October 1868, Page 2

PRIVATE GRIEVANCES.

(To the Editor of the Grey River Argtu.) Sib — I am at all times sorry to trouble the public with my private grievances, but am compelled to ask for space in your' journal to give utterance to some I have suffered from at the hands of our Ifesident Magistrate. The first was— That the flood covered the whole of the Lower Township, and I could not get the sheep away from where they were grazing, go killed three at Maclean's yard, iv doing which I considered I was quite justified His Worship, however, thought differentlyI was summoned, and being- too late for Court, found a fine of £15 and costs of Court recorded against me. I went to liis Worship and wanted to exglain how it had occurred, when I was told to leave the Court and go about my business— " I was fined, and that was enough for me." The second was— At the time I built there were no footpaths, and I buik niy verandah out ßft.- on Mao»i ground, . T Some time after the residents of Greymouth agreed among themselves to make footpaths, and I being agreeable carried the path in front of my building out at a cost of £30, when, to my surprise, I received a summons for carrying out my footpath two feet beyond the posts— posts being originally in the ground, and without orders from anybody to shift them, or any warning, was fined £2 and costs, and ordered to carry out my verandah the other two feet in fourteen days, at a further cost of £15. Qy. Where is the law for this ? I should feel obliged if anyone can inform me. The third was— A case of damage done ! to a garden by pigs, wherein a verdict was given for £15 damages, and costs £6 12s 6d, the ground and cottage only costing £11, and a practical gardener stated as a witness that there could not have been £2 damage committed. The fourth was— Woolfe v. White, reported in your issue of theJLst. inst^-The facts being the sale of a case of beef to the defendant, the same having been duly entered in my order-book, substantiated by own evidence, book-keeper, Rugg, and Rogers. Notwithstanding such evidence, a verdict was given against me with costs, ; and his Worship, in delivering his judg|ment, stated, "I think that Hammitt i never had any dealings with you. Ido not see that he could in any way have ordered the beef, therefore, 1 do not think he is responsible. On the other hand, this case appears to be entirely transacted between White and Rogers, and of the two 1 would sooner take White's evidence than Rogers'." After reading these cases, X wish the residents of Greymouth .to express their opinion as to whether I have had that impartial justice dealt out to me which is only my just rights. 1 am, &c, Wallace Woolfb. Greymouth, Oct. 6, 1868.