The Hire of Sewing Machines.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, 28 February 1891, Page 2

The Hire of Sewing Machines.

In the Resident Magistrate's Court at Invercargill an action was brought for the hire of a sewing machine under peculiar ciicumstances, the claim being for £25 15s, while the actual value of fche machine was £11. The machine had been hired at 2s 6d a week to become the property of the hirer when the payments totalled £12. He paid up to £6 15s in January, 1886, and rent was claimed since that date, plaintiff not having resumed possession of the property. Counsel for the defence contended that all the Singer Company was en titled to was the balance of the value of the machine, £4 ss. For the plaintiffs it was urged that as defendant had never exercised the right of purchase, as the machine might have been and as plaintiffs had been kept out of the money all these years they ought to recover the rent. An offer had been made to pay the balance of the purchase money and all the costs, but it was refused by the plaintiffs. Mr Rawson, R.M. said the agreement was perfectly clear. Had the defendant gone on paying, the machine would have belonged to him in 1888 ; he did not do so, aed was therefore liable for rent, even although that was more than the value of the machine. Judgement would be for plaintiffs, with costs, £3 15s. The machine has thus cost the defendant over £36.