EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.

Shannon News, 18 September 1923, Page 3

EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.

TENANTS SCORE OFF OWNER.

At the Wanganui Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, C. E. Erickson, locomotive foreman of the railways, and his wife sued Mrs T., Donaldson, to recover damage for trespass in the house occupied hy the- Ericksons in February last, the landlady being Mrs Donaldson. It appeared that there was -some confusion in defendant’s mind as to) who really was the ten-, an t_whether Mr Upson, who occupied. one room of the house, or the Ericksons, who "had 1 originally taken, the # house from the. defendant’s agent. Upson, on February sth, gave notice to defendant that he was that day giving up possession. On- January 2,7 th, the defendant wrote to Mrs Erick son that the latter could con- _ tinue occupation of the ho-use until she could procure another house. Mrs Erickson was, at the time, very ill. Mrs Donaldson had called to see her on the 29th January, a-nd also off the afternoon of February sth. She returned in the evening, and, during ■the absence of Mr Erickson, proceeded to throw out the furniture _on to the verandah. The effect of this was to attract- the -attention of neighbours and to seriously impair Mrs Erickson’s health. The Magistrate decided that the conduct of defendant warranted him- In awarding exemplary and punitive damages. He gave judgment for the plaintiffs for £4O ana costs, amounting to £B,lßs 6d.