A HUSBAND'S LIABILITY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2316, 9 February 1892, Page 3

A HUSBAND'S LIABILITY.

Judge Bacon, sitting in the Bloomsbury County Court, had before him on Nov. 16th the case of Peter Robinson v. Skipper. It was an action for the recovery of £l7 8s 9d, for goods supplied to the wife of the defendant, who is a solicitor practising in London, and living at Bellevue, Southchurch, Southend. The principal item in the account was one of £ l4 3s 6d for a stuff dress. All the articles were supplied to the wife without any enquiries being made as to her means, and it was admitted that it was the common practice to give credit to married ladies on the supposition that they were authorised to pledge their husband's credit. For the defence it was said that Mr Skipper allowed his wife a very liberal sum for housekeeping, and that he specially forbade her to pledge his credit. He paid one bill of over £6O and a second bill of £SO to another large firm of drapers, under protest. He found out that his wife had been living very extravagantly. She was now separated from her husband, who had instituted proceedings against her for a divorce. Mr Skipper knew nothing about this debt until the account was sent to him. His Honour, in giving judgment, said it had been very solemnly laid down in the House of Lords that a wife, even though living at home with her husband, had no authority to pledge his credit if the husband told her she was not to do so; and if any tradesman trusted her he did it at his own risk. If a woman got credit and it was proved that the husband knew of it and did not warn the tradesman, that would be another thing. In this case he was of opinion that the plaintiffs could not recover, and judgment -vould be for the defendant, but without costs.