RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, ROSS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1522, 20 June 1873, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, ROSS.

STRATFORD V. PORTER.

In the Resident Magistrate's Court, Ross, there was recently heard a claim for Ll9 10s for wages, the parties being Stratford, plaintiff, and Porter, defendant, and at the close of the case the plaintiff was arrested for perjury. Jane Stratford, sworn, said : I was!barmaid at Porter's, and was engaged by John Reid, at the rate of 303 per week ; Mrs Morgan was seeking my services at the same time. I was in defendant's employ from the 21st January till the 21st May. I was absent for a fortnight, and went to Greymouth. Igot L 6 from 6lqf endant on the 25th April. All I got was L 6. 1 asked for more money,, but Mrs Porter refused me. I applied to Mr Porter at Hokitika, and he promised to come and settle it the next morning. By Mr Knox : Joseph Reid engaged me. I came to defendant's place on the 22nd January, and left on the 22nd May. Mrs Porter gave me L 4 10s on account of wages when I went to Greymouth. I returned on the 9th May. I did not tell any one I was a lodger in the house. On the sth April I received L 4 103 from defendant. I was staying at Hudson's Cleveland Hotel when Joseph Read engaged me to come to defendant's place. . Read engaged me at 30s per week, and said he had orders to do so. Richard Porter, sworn, said : I did not authorise Read to engage plaintiff. This was the case for the plaintiff. Elizabeth Porter, sworn, said : Miss Stratford was with me from the 22nd ofJanuary to the 23rd April. I paid her JO3 on the sth April. Mrs Guest was in the house when J paid her L 5 in single notes. Qn tho 21st April Kaufftnan called, and I gave plaintiff L 3 6s. On the sth April she left her boxes'. She asked j to leave her boxes, and asked to remain until sho got a situation. I engaged her on the 20th January and discharged her on the 25th April, at 25s per week. She served behind the bar after she came back from Greymouth. I did not advise hec to go to the Grey, i paid L 5 to the j plaintiff in the presence of Mrs Guest. Mrs Guest, sworn, said : I remember the 23 th April, and plaintiff asked me to take L 5 for her to the Grey. By Mr Purkiss : I called at Porter's at the request of Miss Stratford. She gave me five single nqtes to, deliver at Greyniouth. Jane Stratfqrdj repealled y-,% gave Mps Guest four one. pound nq'tesj one half sovereign, and JOs in silver, to take to Greymouth. Eis Worship gjyve judgment for def@n f dant, and directed ttyat plaintiff; be taljen in charge for perjury.