NOVEL EVICTION CASE.

Kumara Times, Issue 1337, 13 January 1881, Page 2

NOVEL EVICTION CASE.

From the Lyttelton Times we take the following account of a novel eviction case. We had previously imagined that such a scene could only be enacted in Ireland. Our contemporary says : Considerable excitement and some amusement was created in a certain part of Hereford street on Wednesday, by the summary and somewhat novel mode adopted by certain persons to obtain possession of a house which had been the, subject of a good deal of litigation lately. Numerous actions iu the law couats have been brought by the parties concerned against one another, but without any definite result. A length the “ outs,” acting on legal advice, decided to dislodge the “ ins ” by the process of rendering their stronghold untenable, and for this 1 purpose resolved to remove the roof. Accordingly, in the morning a posse of bailiffs presented themselves at the entrance to the property, expecting little or no resistance, and certainly an easy victory. The better to attain this end, the senior

male member of the family'had bf*ert - previously lodged in gaol, where he.was securely out of the way. But the'nssailants reckoned without their host. His wife, a strapping and voluble Irishwoman, armed with dog and gun, barred the gateway, and before the appalling prospect of tongile and dogbite, physical and mental injury, the limbs of the law fled in clismay. The valiant defender of her husband’s rights (right or wrong) then proceeded to enlarge her armoury by the addition of a selfcocking revolver and suitable amnuinition, firmly believing she was entitled to use them, and algo expressing hep intention to do so. About two o'clock in the afternoon, however, a well-knbwii “ a g6ut, protected by two policemen, accompanied by a gang of carpenters, and armed with all necessary instruments—i.e., documents, crowbars, «fcc.— proceeded to tae disputed tenement) and read a long injunction to the sdle oCcupant. brightened by the appearance of those “ dark gentlemen ill blue, the sturdy daughter of Brin gave iUj add the Work of removing the roof of the house was commenced; Slates Were unripped in all directions atld destroyed) the skylight broken up, and the last VestagC of a rafter removed and cast to the ground; There were df course VigdroUs prdtests against this proceeding, biifc the scene that .was anticipated at orle time did not occur. - The work of destruction finished, the representatives of right or ntighl (the, former of which they may be, ryWhlle :* the latter they undoubtedly Were) therti left, and as the tenants are camped in the ruins, and likely to , main, the neighbors are carloUs: to know what good has been effected) and what the next steps will be. We may remark that the employment of police in the matter has been the subject of comment, and that the action of those who sent away the two constables from the dep6t certainly did not meet ■ with • the approval of the authorities/ ■