ELTHAM.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1917, Page 3

ELTHAM.

S.M. COURT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Eltham, July 12. A case of some local interest was continued at tlie S.M. Court yesterdat, before Mr. W. E. Haselden, S.M., when the claim of Xorman Hastings (Mr. Crmnp) for £-200 against Joseph Scoon (Mr. Stmvart). contractor, was further heard. After hearing evidence, defendant moved for a non-suit. The S.M. said it was ridiculous for any man to rely on a rough verbal estimate and without production of plans and specification?. If plaintiff had wished to bind Scoon to the estimates he should have seen the estimates were in writing. Defendant had acted honestly and did honest work. 'Furthermore, the plaintiff did not allege he was dishonest or charged a penny more than cost of material. He (the S.M.) could not hold, nor would any court hold, that Scoon, who had been employed on day labor, was liable for the cost in excess of the estimates. Under such circumstances judgment would be given for defendant with costs. In the second ease Scoon had sued Hastings for a lien on £137, reduced by consent, to £lO2. At the previous hearing Mr. Crump bad admitted certain facts, and agreed that the result of this nction would largely depend on the decision in the previous case, the evidence being on all fours. He (Mr. Crump) now desired to withdraw these admissions. The S.M. said he had never heard of admissions being withdrawn after the conclusion of evidence. It was certainly not the practise. Judgment ,wbs given I for Scoon for £ 102 and costs, the Question of lien to stand over, as there was some dispute as to the time at which it was filed in the Supreme Court. Security was fixed in case Hastings should appeal. This was a ease in which Hastings approached Scoon, a carpenter, regarding the building of a house and school with the timber secured from the demolition of Dr. Cooper's late residence. Scoon, after giving a rough verbal estimate, was instructed to do the work by day labor, and the two eases hinged on the result. GENERAL.

A preliminary meeting of those interested in Second Division matters was held in the schoolroom of the Town Hall last night. After formal discussion it was resolved to hold a meeting on Monday evening and to invite Mr. R. Masters and others to address those attending. To-day I was pleased to Tenew acquaintance with Mr. Len Webby, who is paying a flying visit to Taranaki. Whilst in business in Eltham, Len was a keen volunteer and very good rifle shot. The Gun Club meeting at Stratford was the real cause of his visit here from Palmerston North. He .was looking remarkably well, and evidently the change from Taranaki climate has agreed with bjm. Something approaching a milk famine exists here. Either the cows have all followed the example of the Wellington gas workers and gone on strike, or the milk vendors have tired of their job. At anyrate the residents in two or three streets have had to fall 'back on con- | densed milk from Invercargill and Switurksd. And tbi» ii Taranakii