Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 255, 27 April 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

j Stratford, Friday. "A PERFECT PREVARICATOR." "TIES MAN'S UNUTTERABLE." Coansel said many nasty things this morning to a debtor who was under cross-examination as to his means and his dealings. "A perfect prevaricator" was one of the terms Mr. Spence felt compelled to use, whilst at another stage he exclaimed, "Truth—he does not know what truth is." The claim was one for wages and team hire, due by the judgment debtor to a man who had worked for him in a draining l contract. The employer had drawn the contract money, but the storekeeper and the wages man had to go to law to collect their dues. The debtor was an Austrian, none too skilled in the use of English, but an admirable fencer. Mr. Spence tackled him pretty hotly when he found how hard it was to elicit facts. He charged the man with having given Mr. Stanford (Mr. Spence's partner) an order on his principal for payment of Sharrock's debt in instalments, and that, having by this \ means stayed the judgment summons j proceedings for a while, he went straightaway and drew the money on which he had given the order. The debtor denied all knowledge of an order, but, when threatened with the production of the document, owned up to it to this extent: 'T sposa I sign my name down." He denied all knowledge of what he had signgd, but later, when Mr. Spence mentioned that the order had been given for payment of the full amount, he corrected him, and gave the actual details. Then, having given the show away, he ; relied on the repeated statement, "I !go there, and I sign my name. That was all I do." The debtor admitted having drawn the money, and that there would be 110 money in the hands of the principal to satisfy the order, but ho denied strenuously that he had drawn it after the order was given, whilst he was also positive that he had not drawn it,.and' had not the money to pay this debt when the order was given. The Magistrate took him in hand and at length got an admission that he drew the money within two days, 'either before or after, the day the order was given. The Magistrate looked not too satisfied with the answer, and was talking of fraud and of making an order for payment of the debt, when the' debtor endeavored to draw a red | herring across the scent. "You see how cute he is, your Worship," exclaimed j Mr. Spence. "You had him cornered,. and he gets off the question immediately j and talks about something else." "The! man's unutterable," he said, and made I some remark about "abominable dis- j honesty." The S.M. had made up his mind on the matter. "You did not intend that this creditor should jeceive I his money," he said. "Either you drew j the money, or with the money in your j poc-ket you went and gave an order on' the man from whom you had drawn the j money coming to you, or else you gave an order on the man and then slipped I away and drew the money which should t have gone to satisfy the order. Whichever way you look at it it was a fraudu- I lent transaction on your part. I do not know what you are—an Italian? No? An Austrian! Well, I have been on the Continent, and I want you to understand that you will get as much justice here as' on the Continent; but you will get justice of another kind which you will not care about if you behave in this- way. You deserve to be sent to prison straight i away." An order was then made for; payment of the debt, with a month's imprisonment in default of payment. MAGISTRATE'S COURT. There were very few civil cases before the S.M. Court this morning. In an undefended case B. Harkness obtained judgment against A. Gilbert for £l2 7s 3d and £1 15s 6d costs. J. Masters and Son (Mr. Fookes) sued J. Ceballo on a judgment summons, and an order was made for payment of £l3 7s 3d, in -instalments of £1 a week, in'default 14 days' imprisonment. In the case of Wm. Sharrock (Mr. Spence) v. J. Ceballo, on) a judgment debt of £l6 9s, the Magistrate ordered payment of the amount, the order to be suspended for a month, in default four weeks' imprisonment. J. E. Pearce was fined 10s and 7s costs for cycling on the Pembroke road footpath. Alec Nelson was similarly, fined for driving horses loose through the_ borough streets. The Magistrate, in inflicting the fine, said that surely enough fines had been inflicted to warn people that this was an 'offence. He added the warning that if anyone were injured as the result of the practice the person at fault would be liable for an action for damages.

RIFLE SHOOTING. STRATFORD v. KAPONOA. The Kaponga and Stratford Rifle Clubs fired a match on the Stratford range on Thursday. The conditions were ten men a side, ten shots at 300 yards, and seven shots at 500 yards. The weather conditions were altogether unfavorable, cold, and with a gusty wind. The Kaponga men are good sports, or they would not have made the jounr to Stratford under such a .threatening *kv. The light was patchy, and ithe wind verv ■liarnreable. The local men withstood the cold better than the champions from thfc' south, and won by 32 points. - Campbell •Tackson, of the Stratford Club, luadcd the list with 78 points, and the former champion. Roots, came next with 77. The scores were as follows: STRATFORD RIFLE CLUB. 300 500 Tl. C. Jackson 44 34 78 A. Wickham 43 33 70 C. Speck 44 31 75 J. McMahon 41 33 74 W. Brocklclmnk 43 27 70 E. Brock! cbank 36 32 08 A. Speck 30 30 Ofi H. Gollop 3f> 20 05 A. Mackav 40 25 05 P. Arden 32 25 57 305 20!) 004 KAPONOA RTFLE CLUB. 300 500 Tl. D. Roots 45 32 77 d. Smith 43 31 74 -T. fiuy 40 32 72 Vincent 42 30 72 A. H. Cuv 40 3] 71 I Schumacher HO 33 00 McCarthy 38 2S 00 C. BetW 30 21 57 E. Holland 30 20 50 Prccce 22 20 48 i . 378 284 002 ! GOLF, j THE STRATFORD CLUB. | Thursday afternoon was good for ■ golfers, keen but fine, and the local golf club |\ened the season most aus-

* <i> +■ * * From Our Resident Reporter. * t >J» * Broadway North., next Loan & Mercantile Agency Co. * * <{>

piciously. The president, Mr. A. W. Budge, made the opening speech and the 'official opening hit, and Mrs. Budge dispensed afternoon tea, which was greatly appreciated. A mixed foursome was played, and was won by Mr. and Mrs. Uniacke with 61. The scores were:— Uniacke and Mrs. Uniacke, 71—10—CI. Wright and Miss Orbell, 02—0—02. Wake and Miss F. Orbell, .09—6—03. Standfard and Mrs. Budge, 05—0—05. E. Spence and Miss Bayly, 75—8—G7. S. Spence and Mrs. Reniiell, 71—0—71. V. Crawshaw and Miss F. Wake, 71—4—73. Croker and Mrs. Steven, 87—12—75. W. J. Crawshaw and Miss Wake, 81—4—77. Fussell and Miss O'Briea, 00—3—87. BERNARD'S PICTURES.

To-night the current splendid spectacular programme at His Majesty's Theatre will be presented for the last time. A full programme will be shown at to-morrow's matinee, commencing at 2.30 p.m. Melbourne's stirring romance, "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab," is billed for Monday night next. Do you like a thrill? We all do. At any rate, if you are seeking to be galvanised into real life again, drop in and witness this ■picture representation. It will just take and grip you with its tentacles of sensationalism. "The Mystery" is a real genuine story, and has been extensively dramatised. The early faithlessness of a man who rises to be a millionaire, his second marriage, the courting of his beautiful daughter by a thorough-paced scoundrel who knows the millionaire' 6 life secret, and the scoundrel's avarice. The murder of the rival suitor .follows, and the great stand taken up by Brian Fitzgerald, who is accused of the murder, in order to shield the girl he loves, ■ moving pHwMI £&« picture. It is written of this picture that no stronger drama has been seen on or off the stage. COMMERCIAL Mr. T. Lamason reports:—Last Satur- j (lav I held my weekly sale, and prices j realised throughout were very satisfac-1 tory. Poultry came forward very well,' the prices obtained being very satisfactory, considering the class of birds. I quote as follows:—I-Iens Is to Is 9d, : roos-1 ters Is to 3s (id, cockerels Is 6d to 2s, pullets 2s to 3s; cauliflowers 2s 8d to 3s per dozen; cabbages 3s per sack; potatoes 10s (id per sack. Furniture andsundries sold at usual rates. : j GENERAL NEWS. j At a meeting of the Taranaki Law Society at New Plymouth on Thursday evening, Mr. Cecil Wright (of Messrs. Wake and Wright) was elected vice- ' president. BUSINESS NOTES. ! Mr. C, E. Jones' second annual stocktaking sale is in full swing. The whole stock of stationery, fancy goods, jewellery, electro-plated ware, fancy glass- ! ware, ete., has been brought under the edge of the price-cutting knife, and there are some remarkably cheap goods. Jewellery and electro-plate carry a discount of four shillings in the pound, and there is a cut of twopence in every ;shilling in the stationery department. This same reduction extends to pipes,. pouches, and smokers' and tolet sundries. Six one shilling - articles in the shilling room for four shillings and sixpence. There is scarcely need to say more, un-' less it is to remark on the great extent' and varied selection of the fine stocks i carried in all departments. The New Zealand Loan and Mercan-: tile Agency Company (Stratford) inserts list of stock, wool, skin, and hide sales,and horse fairs to be held at the various centres during May. The sale of wooi, etc., is fixed for the 7th at Stratford,' and a thoroughbred horse fair on the9th at Hawer'a, and a horse fair on the j 11th, also at ITawera. Clearing sales are also advertised. '

Tine great relinquishing sale at Mr. A. Spence'e drapery establishment is bowling along merrily. Keen buyers appreciate the good things offered at almost absurdly low prices. All of this season's importations are offered at the sitle prices, and &s the lease of the premises is:expiring the prices are framed to ensure, a speedy clearance. The annual meeting of parishioners of Holy Trinity Church will be held in the Parish Hall on Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock.