GOING TO LAW.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1922, Page 4

GOING TO LAW.

(By an ex-Litigant). Of course my ease was irrefutably just and f was bound to win, otherwise T should not have given instructions for the issue of the writ. I won’t specify the nature of the action, save that it was a very dull type of special jury, involving n lengthy correspondence and what the defendant declared to he only a nebulous contract. The first cold douche to my “will to win” enthusiasm was a request from my solicitor for sometihng on account of running costs. “Oh, but I thought the defendant paid all that,” said I, “when he is beaten.”

“He will,” said he grimly, “when ho is beaten” ; then, still more grimly, “some of it.”

After that I avoided any conversations about out-of-pocket expenses. I found such talks lowering to my moral. Instead ] followed a variation of Hi Cone’s formula, repeating, “f'.verv day and in every way J feel more and more certain of winning.”

“Quite so,” my solicitor always replied quite absent-mindedly when I made the observation to him. But on the thousandth occasion of this remark (it had become a chant), he gave a .spasm of pain and said we had better pro round to the Temple to have a consultation with Mr X., of course. I found Mr X. a most objectionable person in horn-rimmed spectacles, any age between 25 and 90. In a most disagreeable way he began to enumerate the legal reasons why, in his opinion, J was bound to he beaten. I pointed helplessly at the absolutely unanswerable..statement ot claim which lie himself had drafted, thereby giving me the last happy week-end 1 was ever to know again. Tie smiled nastily.

The statement of defence irom my opponent struck me as impudent. On the day that my case was set down for trial 1 told my solicitor that T would take a room in an hotel in town, so as to’he on the spot for the trial at a moment’s notice.

“1 don't think I would do that,” lie replied wearily, “at least not for six months or so.” And for six months the law left me alone to my conscience. 11l the middle of the night 1 would wake in a cold sweat and begin to think of costs —my own and the other man’s.

Then one autumn evening, when my nerves were'frayed to tatters, I received a telegram from mv solicitor informing me that I was second in the list and bidding me to lie in Boom Xo,

at the l.aw Courts at 10 a.in. for a final conference with counsel. There were two of them this time, and the K.C., whom I had not met before, was really soothing. He told me that I had an absolute winner, which pleased me very much ; but that there was one teeny weenylegal flaw. He understood that the other side would he content with a settlement, each to pay their own costs. He thought he could arrange that, and it would he best.

lie did arrange it. I slept that night the deep, refreshing sleep which just came in time to save me from Hanwell —or is it Broadmoor?