SUPREME COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1922, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

claim, for housekeeping WAGES. the law of concubinage. i BY rn.KGllAl’ll —-I’Ell I’ltfiSS ASSOCIATION | (.MlllSTCy UIICH, Sept. 13. One of the meat unusual eases ever brought before the Supreme Court was heal'd before Mr Justice Adams to day when Emma Frances Lewis, New Brighton. claimed from the Public Trustee as the administrator of the estate of Edward Elliott, labourer, the stun of CI ISO.

Plaintiff, a middle-aged woman, (untended in a statement of claim that si c had lived with Elliott for 12 years as Ids wife, but that Elliott bad i'ratidiiieiitlv given her a ring which he said would be sufficient to make the couple man and wife. She had not know n that he had a wife in England. S! claim'd GIGS as wages earned when she had worked in a hotel at Clydewith her husband a married couple, (J 3 for work done at Rangiora. Cl for work dome for one G. Andrews, C33‘' as housekeeping wages for 13 years at Fls per work, and C<>7;> wages paid by plaintiff to deceased, earned by 1 Known outside work. The statement of di fence pleaded concubinage and the Statute oi I.imitations. Ceansel said that plaintiff was an illiterate woman, and had not understood the importance ol the marriage (eremoay. Him lad asked '.a ('ee -asul for a eeitiacate. but be _ m l >aid that everything would be all right. She had kept house for 13 years as bis wife and bad dene outside work, the proceeds ef which she bad given Elliott. . .

.Counsel admitted that the claim was an unusual one. Evidence was given on helm If of defendant that no secret of Hie i elutions existing between pbiin--1 ill’ and Elliott was made by eitlr.i party, and Elliott snake opriih ol I 1 wife" and family in England. His Honor, giving judgment for defendant. said that he could not close Ids eves to the fact that the circumstances showed that when she went l' ’Elliott, the .relations established mm I '- have hoe ll brought about hv other means than fraud. No costs were applied for, and it was announced that Elliott’s soil- had expressed a willingness to rectify the wrong done plaintiff. _____