A Peculiar Case.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 2, 9 May 1885, Page 2

A Peculiar Case.

(PER UNITED PRESB ASSOCIATION:. Ifvkrcargill, May 7. The Commissioner of Crown Lands proceeded against Arthur Perkins m t(i3 Resident Magistato's Court to-day to recover £100 royalty on timber cut from Crowti lands. The circumstances wero rather peculiar. H. E. Moore secured by transfer a license to cut timber, and afterwards Perkins joined him, it is generally supposed, as partner, the firm being Moore and Co. Moore left the Colony eighteen months ago, and Perkins carried on the mill, signing cheques m the name of the firm. The mill had cut over 800,000 ft, but Government never got a penny on account of it. At the last sitting of the Supreme Court Perkins stated, m a case against the Equitable Company for insurance on the mill, which had been burned, tha the had been partner with Moore all through. The Department then proceeded against hiiii to recover the royalty. The defence was that tho defendant was not a partner, but was paying Moore 4d per 100 ft for timber sawn. Plaintiff was nonsuited on the ground that the partnership had not been proved, and that defondant's name was not on the license. It was hinted that tho royalty had been paid to an officer of the Department, but no evidence was adduced m support of this.