A COMICAL CART CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 237, 30 September 1908, Page 4

A COMICAL CART CASE.

"SCKXK I'iaill lA COJIIO Oi'OlA." t . AUiR-iJiU .ALUiICIOL'S WtOSKUC- o . 'lllOiN. i! 1 lu lliu Supreme Court jotcrds.j' i sitteniuon was l'ouyht one of the queer-. (j i >1 ca.-es lieaiVl licrc lor some 'time, lii-i i i) ■Honor Ji«l{>l' Dcnniston. remarking t.li:il,| { it fudges fed a nr from a iconiit. j,v opcin.'' It concerned ;i ,1m Idler's cart, wliielt hais liguml in the Waitara Ou. t, | ,1 ipjui-iTili lijis .very frenuently in the past,'t; year or -mi, and .Die original owiiicr,, il kobert Wright,, who was 'represented iiy ( ji ■M!r. V. 11. Westm),, .sued 'Charles 'Nicholas, « 'liiuvr, of il'ii'iiui. for C2IIO damages, i (stated to hove ilieen caused I>/ the at' '- Jewell niiili'eioito i>iijsl'i it I toil of Wright. ii Ivy illoue for tliePt of the cart. The- £ lints were elicited in lull by counsel tor, ( i the pl.iintflV. * •llohi rt AVright, of 'Lopperloii, stated il that in August, II'.HW, Ji«- leased his Jml- « ehery business .I<i Charles I'otier, » 'i« .r iliil Hot 'make a success of it. imiil he ,1 had to res'nnie possession nine, mull'lis, inter, /when J'otiev owed liini. ClO'.l. j (lac of lhe"i'ii(rt,s included in the chattels 'was ni.ksinj,', and lie found it was -u L .lenkin.-on's coach if.net ory for repairs, .Icu'kin'soii refused to give it up unless. * the eost <if the repairs (aiioiit CU) 'was, i «fi.i'.-«t jm kl, and tmlaeqm-ntiy sued the, ] plaintiff and d'otiev for the amount, t Judgment was given in favor of plain- ,t till' hut «(ia'nnt il'otier. .Subseiiueiv.ly. ~ ■he |\VlEp.h't) kind Jenkiivson tor the Tdliini of tJie en i t,. 'Mr. Fil/.lierbevt, , S.M., dwided that, Henkinson should re- , tain po>sossioit of the Icart until I'otier . raid hiin, will,ll the (Ciii l was'to he de- , Jivercd to Wright. Tlic cart then lev uiiiiiucd in .lonki.nrson's posse'ssion foil i .some 111(111!lis. Later, plaintiff saw an. adlertisenient i..n theWaitara Mail thail the curt WOP to lie sold at auction .on 21st (September. Plaintiff attended al tin? place of auetton, ,liut, found that tU-' cairt had Ih'ch ;witl»clra.wii from sale, Xothfii" 'further eventuated until 20fclti .lune. 1(108, when ,\\'ri.u-hl heard tli-.iti Rowe had ilioug.h.t the |cart. T n cousel quince <rf )»' rode to .Urciiui on. the .next ilnv, Sunday. nnd;pnt up at 111"' r.renui .hotel. Called -iI- 'Howe's, mil' S.VW life it-art there, ill a little shed, lAHout f.'f) p.m. lie took it across to. the 'hotel Is't'aide's. He and Eowe were, 1 on the (Very ibefst. of 'terms. They niet| •next morning, when Howe said. "1 se 'i ■r»ol>. voii've ,»i»t my cart." Witness replied." "No. .I've I' 1"' »«'"■" ■ lJoWl ' . claimed 'to h'ove l>mif>h«i the cart fronii ffenkinson for , CIS Ills. Plaintiff offered 'to give, up the cart, if Kow.c would! prmlicci' 11. receipt for payment. The, hnswer was that he had no reeeii't, i ll»s idea was that, lie could .proceed . )i"a,insitl .lenkinso.li. He told Eowe tlui I whole of the circumstances, statins) tli'ab the tart 'was .his own. Eowe said! * lie tihout'M it n case (for the police, iin.li '■ iilai.ni'.fll' replied that whilst Eowe had ] a k*»so for ircspasV, he did .not think it, . would look well after 'tlie.ir long anl * ft-iendlvilnisiness relations. I'taintill' o'f- '. fered to lend the ica.rt to iRo-we if i't« removal would Cause any lineonven.ieiie'u I Imt the oiler was (declined. Then plai_m il tiff liarncssed up Jii's horse ill the disi innted lart and drove into \\'ai.ta ':i, llowe driviiif! in his own «ijr. They kepu together, mid .spoke sometimes on. the r. x .Honor was puzzled to know ho-vi '' itlie two in en cn.ine do fo[uro in these. (U'oeeedims". It w s is 'lite a, scene in a,

I'onik' o)iera. ■ 'When they arrived in Wai'tara it:hev| separated, Rowe going oil' to tilie jxihcei station. They met later in the day, an I

atiiwe -shouted." About -1 o'clock plainHfl' drove home iin the cart, A nveeki later lie got ;i siMunibiis from the ,colli Istaible. The case against hi,in ;fui- alleged theft of.the feirt n-anie on hi the Maigihtrate's (Aiurt- at Waitara. uii iltilh; iluly '.tie,fore 'Mr. .11. S. I'i.tzheiliei t , (S.M. lAft'er some time his (defendant's) i-ou'i-M'l (i]ienl'd the L'.ven ill Cnu r.t Ili 'business bad its humorous side, for the e'a*e was pra<itittilly npriied by *-"iim:eli il'or .ileJVmlant,. who slated Ibe faevs, Tlie ease was iw.itU.liawii u-pun Hi" suggeslion, he remarkiitf'i I t'li'al i;! 1 Ava.s ill-a<lvil«eil. Wright iuul| Howe, went away together'to a hotel on tiie bes't ofiteinis, and had three drinks to»e.tlier. In the plaintiff's ow.il weiil-j '■jfe was savin" :i. lot of Mattering ihings aliiiiiil me, and I asked li'ei.. •wli'iit J lie dickens 'did you lay I he informal! ion forr"' His Honor aske4 it he wni Mure it was •ilfc-kens'---nothing

stronger? "It !ui.ig>h't .Hern 'devil. s '' plainlill' explained, wild h : s Honor mu.ltercd ns lie made liis note, "Why the d 1 /did .vou lay 'this informathwi V Kowe answered, "I would never have done it had it nwl been for Jenkinson.'' They went ou talking. ,Wright pointing out .that such a prosecution have had a ,veirv serious elteet upon it he future of liiis children. At any rale, they partc<l «jood tf'riends. Ft transpired during the liejiri-ng tha,t Wright had hnd business relations with 'Bowe extending over a-lerini o.f t>f> voars, in which he had -piid lo tin', defendant some : thin« like C2OOO or C3OOO for istoros for men engaged in contracibs. A te.v days .ago lie went to i.'renui on business, and met young ]{o\ve, with whom, he had a drink or jpwo. Young .Howe asked hinv, "Why you settle this case with the old nutn?" Atter a while he saw the defendant, and they arranged fn fineeL '/ind .(mutter* ill* New JMymouLh Ix'tore thin *.'cU*e ,was set down for 'hearing. They did not' mee-t. Wright repudiated Wen that lie Jiad lite i'llwill liuwe, and he didn't think th'at Kowe ha<l any liini.

Ilii- Honor ->aid it mas a most cslinordinary i : a«e.

I'oiM ab'le il'ricc ig'a.ve evidence llia.t he had declined fo take iiji ithc case nf theft, recognising Unit it was frauglu; with MUlic dilliciulty owing to previous lit|iga.tion in connection with the t'ourt. He advisi'il; llowe that he had no grounds if.nr a charge of theft, but that probably Jie couJil .proceed civilly for trc-pasi?. lie advised him ito consult a. solicitor. Subsequently- Howe saw Sergeant Jl'addrell. anil iwitne-ss received direction from liinn to let :Rowe lay the Information himself. , Tie wrote it out . jukl :Kown signed it, .the information being sworn before .Mr. \V. !•'. .lenkius, (fustiice of I'llc .i'eaee. The witness litdteil that unfortunately he could not lind the papers concerning the rase.

Ili.s Honor saitl that lie-was not surprised 11 iki 1j the papers in sucli a case 'were ashamed of thenrsclvcs ami tried to ;get. out of I'lle Way. ■ Mr. (juilliam asked if .there wa.s a case to answer.

Il«s Illonor replied emphatically tint there was. Was there any reasonable ground to siip|>oso it,hat the idaintill' t-'Klle .1 lie I'art V I

Mr. (JuiJliani pointed out that ißowe had not aicted nil hi-. ow,n judgment entirely, for 'lie had c'onisul'ted an expciieuced iscrgcant of police. •Ilis Honor said lie nvas not going to make any .coin'mcnl upom the sergeant's advice, for lie did not ik.now what passed between h'iin and the defendant. Co.uhta'ble Prico had given Utowe very seiiWile advice, 'but the Ja.tter persirited. went H.O fee t.lio sergeant, then '.signed an information 'against Wright, fjr t'heft. and .then iiiiconditioiiallv withdrew* Ihe -proceedings. Meaiiiwhiic M*rig!h't bad fo res't under the stigma, of I In- charge.

Mr. <,>nilliain nml mildl 'I li;il, I In l ilcfnuhnit 'was jiMi'linl in «i<> fin-

cojX'lilsioiii th'at 'tin: rnrt )i r ;ul a he"ii Molen. for it had lici'ii fliihen by He would put 1 In* (let'en daili in il»«' bus. TTis Honor euiuldn't n-mlcrstamL ho.v the piu'tioK <i'oi to 'tlvi's Court. He would liavf thought Ui'a'i> the defendant would have had Ihe inat'ter (settled. the settlemi'iil. inilmliinjx 'apologies, full ■withdrawn! of I lie {{llotfiilHm, jnTvd payment ol reasonable "post s. "Was the defendant

prepared to in 'the hox aiow and say lliiil. In- eoiiisidered lie had reasonable

{/loiimls 'for ihelieviliip; his ilYieml to he a< •thiel? If 'p.), let him ilo it, and his llidinr woul<! remember tin; Niatemrni when ulaiua^es. Mr. </nilliiins in answer 'to liis Honov, I |it : d tdi>;t t. Iho I'ai.f s ti;s ista tod in evFMenee Would not be altered. ! jlfc .lienor: Then, all 'I 'can, say, and 1 sav it ne>w. i,s that there are element* in this t:-nse 'that eonik* opera.

except 11 :;it. it lias ils wrinus eleineiils. Ilm-o liail fvideiilly come t'o the not tiiitt'iiiiini 1 hi idea lliat. a,nv man reninvins;' annt-lieis property M'i'tlinut leive win committing 'tlie.ft. Oil the staleincut lif tin- ifitcls. 'there 'Was no ju«tifioatioii for the prosefiiUiim fiiir theft, lie -trniigly reeoaiiincndeil defendant's ciiiiii'M'l to endeavor tn sel'lle Ihe mat|er. and 'remarked thai. lia.d he been llie jwilieil or lie wniild liavi' refused to bring the a<-l,inii for Miefl.

The parties aeeepled Hie suggestion a 11,(1 .\vitlulre,\\ t» ili-ni" a tli'inent. The ridireiueiil »•»» Vnirly lengthy.

and a mes-aL'e "a- conwyed tn I lie parties Unit hi* dinner ilid iml inleiul In *il all nighl. If lie did nut hear from tlkmii noiim iie would have tu gi on with the cvi.leiic-.

A wrl I leiec'il va* arrived al. I lie defendant iijiNM-iiit' to -int' a full written adinii ti'il'i '1 hi'i'i' «' i- t I'niinililt/iin I'ei' (be el'al'L'i' id' tlii'fl. Ihe plaintiff tn be allowed m make any u<r ~f 1 iie apology I lull, he liiiirli'l 'deem 'HI: defendant 1" pay 1'25 damage-; and L'-U en*ls and di-lillV--elliellN.

'Hi* •lTnnnr -aid the settlement was a verv pri'pi'i" ai-l.