TOPICS OF TALK.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 253, 9 January 1874, Page 3

TOPICS OF TALK.

It doer not always do to appeal to the law courts even on good advice. A commentary oil sucha practice is strikingly put in a case lately decided at Queenstown before Judge Gi*ay. The plaintiff, in this'case was a himself—Mr. Gk B. Barton—-who acted as solicitor for Messrs.; Grace, Eager, and Boyle, in the attempts made to unite their claims in a pale to a company. From a veiy full note of the judgment, published in the ' Wakatip Mail,' it appears that Gi ace's claim was by far the-most valuable of. the three, and therefore it was less important for Grace thau for Eager to effect a joint sale. Indeed, so conscious was Grace, of this tliat.he refused the offers .finally made ;to , biui, on the ground that the cash pay ment: tendered waa not Bufficieiit : ; and he consequently elected to float an independent company, for that purpose communicating with Messrs. Gillies and Street, the sharebrokers and com mission agents in Dunedin. Mr. Barton, meanwhile, had secured a promise of payment for his services, calculated at ten per cent, either in cash or paid-up shares, upon the price that might be obtained by Eager in any such a joint sale. This was subsequently paid without dispute. Of course t'his; was a direct incentive for,him, unless lie had a similar pro-; mise of payment from the others—which was not! pretended—to advance Eager's interest as even against that of G race. Probably this was the view Grace took jh resisting a claim made on him, at the ultimate formation of the Shotover Terrace, Gold Mining Company, by Mr. Barton, for £778 commission on the sale—a charge which was reduced to £SOO, as Mr. Barton said, to avoid litigation. Grace refused to agree to any charge at all; consequently, Mr. Barton sued him for the full amount—£77B—before the Warden. The Warden, after a long hearing, gave judgment for the defendant (Grade), with J852 costs. Judge Gray said he would so far vary the judgment as to: the matter of costs, confirming the Warden's decision as to the refusal of Mr. Barton's claim, but leaving each: party, to pay their own costs in both Courts. So biter was bit, and, whether guilty or notythere is no great sympathy with lawyer who, in-an attempt to be too* exorbitant, outwitted himself. A mo-; derate charge , .might very probably have been paid, his Honor said, noli necessarily as legitimate fee, but under the general name of " promotion expenses." !<

The publicans * are not,; apparently of a-, nature. It appears that they formed themselves into a Licensed Victuallers' Associaand memorialised the Licensing Magistrates to refuse the applications renewed- licenses made by certain: young ladies named Miss Johnstone, Miss M'lnarney, and Miss O'Neill. We. cannot help quoting two clauses jof this memorial, which evidently show a mqsfc tender regard for these, younf females" l'hird—That a number of licenses have been- granted to single and unprotected young women in the town, a course, iwhich, if continued or repeated, is likely to prove at once detrimental to us, to the community, and to the interests of public morality. It will need little consideration to lead to the conviction that young single women, although in some instances assisted by others as, inexperienced and unprotected as themselves, must be unable to conduct: properly houses where ardent spirits are; Berved, and that in such cases their respectability and morals must be; more.-or less:in danger. Fourth—That, in most instances, these young women might secure respectable situations at good wages, would be under some protection from improper importunities, and would thus avoid the temptations to go astray whieh result from too free and unguarded communication- with the thoughtless. and volatile of the other sex, who too often regard t Jheir charms as a legitimate prize to be easily gained by constant and liberal orders for whiskies." Clause fifth too, standing as it does by itself, is peculiarly touching—" That the number of licenses granted are far in excess of the actual requirements: of jthe ,town, and need to be of course, refuse these most objectionable young women licenses, and leave us poor innocents stiil to ply our harmless lures—not, maybe, of personal charms, but euchre and Yankee grab —-to entrap "the thoughtless and. volatile of tbe other sex " to imbibe our adulterated spirits, to the filling to repletion of our pockets—for, in clause six, they meekly and innocently, as always, say ''that the female licensee —-(for certain above recited reasons—not very clear, by-the-bye)—does a large amount of trade, especially in spirits, which is by far the most profi ;able portion of the trade." Bravo, Eeefton Licensed Victuallers ! For all we know, hotels it Eeefton may be as badly conducted, as you make ouit by your own memorial; nevertheless, the little dodge coming-through you issomething unique in the annals of licensing Courts. The remarks of Mr. Chas. Broad, ! the presiding Magistrate, were characteristic of the man. Jle said :—" With regard to the memorial respecting the holding of licenses by single women, he found that there were only three such in the], list of applicants, and although he might concede that there were objections to single woinen ergagirig in that business, yet, on the other hniid, he could not overlook the fact that some such might have held licenses for a lengthened period without having laid themselves open to TrprojiV'h ; br. coirij>lauit.. H"\V ! ith : a new Licensing Court about to be he would Pot jittfempt t&

arbitrarily refuse t Lt-i# - appl ieivious, as, in any case, time shoi.ld be pt rmitted to them, should they desire it, to enable /them to=rotire from the business without-pecuniary loss/ It was his intention, therefore, unless very strong grounds indeed could be shown, to-the contrary, to grant the three licenses in question, and by the month of April next the three ladies would probably , see the advisability and propriety of removing their alleged disabilities by getting married.

Theke exists a singular amount of misunderstanding in. the district with regard to the gratuitous treatment given by the Mount Ida Hospital. This misunderstanding is, we find, sufficient to induce several subscribers this year to refuse support. We ourselves have been asked by former subsbers resident outside Naseby, What is the good ot' the Hospital to us? If men in our position—who have families to keep, and keep them fairly, but do no more, by means of a share in. a water race or a claim—are hurt or taken ill, we cannot pay the Hospital charges, and, consequently, our property is sold—the very means by which we might be able to obtain sufficient to pay off any obligation to the Hospital. We always state that such ideas are totally false—that the Hospital has to make a charge for its support, as well as to keep away loafers, but no extortion such as that spoken of has ever been attempted, or will be without receiving a very strong condemnation. Curiously; too, we always trace these rumors to Naseby itself. It is always, Well, I know, for I was told when in Naseby; or, My mate went to Naseby and was told there, on the spot. Believing that fullest publicity is the best means ot clearing away' the mists of false representations, we give this matter prominent notice, and would suggest to the Hospital Committee the advisability of publiihing a return showing the amount of gratuitous treatment that has been given during the past year—not necessarily indicating individuals who have had the double misfortune to lose health and livelihood too, but merely a statement of facts to be placed in the hands of subscribers.