A Novel Defence.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 34, 4 May 1906, Page 2

A Novel Defence.

CLAIM FOB KATES. At (he Gore S.M. Court lately C. Olsen was sued by th;' Borough of Gore for (he sum of Jt'l (is 3d for . rates. Air W . F. Inder appeared for Ihe pin in ‘ i Il's.. The defendant ' conducted ips own case. C. Olsen, be)ng sworn, said that I aceori Ii ng to tile Scripture, he had t no right to lie called upon to pay ■lhe 1 a xes levied. He based his ob'jeetion on St. .John's go-pel. the !)th^Uupt< a r ami the 2<t jp verse. ‘ Magist late : Wh.it doe-that say? Does it say that you should ’ not pay 1 ates. Al r i nder :Wait t i' 1 I mt, (V r Inder here got the Bible ami com- ' menced looking for the pn-<nge.) Mr Bowler interjre’i'd that M r Inder was looking too far back in ; the hook. The qiiotat ion was not I in the epistle but the gospel of St. .lohp. Air I mierreckoned lie would find it. He did. and in i fe-y seconds ■ re id the |>as-age : " Labour not for the mer.t that peri-heth, but for tin* meat which emlili'eth for everlasting life.” Ate. Defendant. eonti lining, said that I I hat was the passage, ami under ; it he had no right to pay rates on Ii he demand of the council. He 'did not labour for the iiDat that pi-ri.-heth. and on the authority iof the Script tire.- he <!< i tied to i/ty this deinamt. The council :nere.i-i the rate since l ist year. He had.the money to pay. but lie. , would not 'Io so unless compelled, hi .January hist, when lie was i praying to God (which he always J did at 5.30 ever.v mornlngja voice spoke to him, and be asked God i what lodo. The voice said There I is a widow woman and some child- ! ren in a buggy which, require | help. ' and ho asked God what to I do. He (the defendant) gave £i I to t tge yiadoi.j. t/» help her rather | than pay his tile, winch the' Scripture said ho had no right to j pay. Hestill had money, but the j . ■ci'?;' f -ure tvtts his guide. The Magistrate said that the t Scripture also said : “Owe no man any tiling.'' which he thought was a much stronger command than the one quoted by .defendant, Ihe defendant ; But 1 (lop t p,A’,c ; it. The council demands it froth I me, and the .Scripture says 1 must ■ not pay it. . I The .Magistrate: The council ( ■mild not borrow money to im- j prove the town if they could not j get thei,. rates in. Continuing, | his Worship sai<l lie was so;-ry lie j could not spare time to continue j ths discussion on Air Olsen’s lines, i lint as the Scripture said ‘•Owe] no man anything.” he would have i to give judgment on that author-[ ity for plaintiffs, with costs (is. He' advised Mr Olsen to pav his debts and he could help the widows afterwards.

j A clergyman, at an afternoon > service, was asked to give out a nojticefora women s rights lecture. I which he did in this wise ; - “At the 1 scho Ihotise to-morrow night, at i half-past six o'clock, a hen will a.tI tempt to crow.” , An eloquent sermon is embodied j in a New South Wales bank-note i in the possession of a gentleni.ui in Blenheim. The note bears on its back the following legend " The last of 10,000. Beware of fast women and slow racehorses.”