DEPARTMENTAL COSTS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1920, Page 3

DEPARTMENTAL COSTS

A WESTPORT CASE. (Westport “News”). , Commissioner of Taxes v. Margaret . Shaw, claim £ll 6s Id. Notice to defend was withdrawn and judgment for plaintiff entered for amount claimed and 8s costs. Costs were also allowed tho Department’s inspector, £2 12s 4d, for train and car fare from Greymouth. In this case, defendant stated she regarded tho taxes as excessive. She had purchased the hoarding bouse for .£4OO and she was taxed for £IOOO. It was shown that defendant should have appealed at the time of the valuation and it was now too late to raise an objection. Mr Cottrell, who acted for defendant, asked leave to withdraw the defence, and His Worship consented. Judgment was therefore entered by default, for the amount claimed £ll 6s Id. Mr Copeland, the Department’s Inspector, appeared and asked for costs as follows: Salary £8 s#d, travelling allowance £9, train and coach £3 8s lOd and car fare i£l 17s Bd, a total of £23 os 10d, as lie had travelled to conduct I this case , coming via Christchurch and | Greymouth. It was mentioned that Mr ' Copeland had had a case at Greymouth ; which fell through, s 0 his Worship al- • lowed only £2 12s 4d, car and train fare from Greymouth, but intimated that the Tax Department acted very’ inidiscretely in incurring such an excessive amount when the caso could have been conducted by the local Crown Solicitor, or the facilites ofFered by Magistrate’s Court Act taken for taking Department’s evidence where either party resides, more than 20 miles from the nearest Court. Mr J. Tennant, jeweller 0 f Greymouth has presented a handsome silver cup to be given tho winner of the Okarito Cup at the races at Okarito on . Dec. 27th. ________