R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3465, 21 March 1890, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

MASTERTON—FJRIDAY. '.;, (Before. Messrs ;W. Beetbam and M. '*•" ' Caselbergi J.'s P.) = • MfiAOll OF STASir ACT; . Sergeant'Prioe v. William Millar -Breach of Stamp. Act by .issuing unstamped order. : 'Mr I Pownall''fot defendant, Defendant pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Price read the 78th section of the Act, and then explained : tbo case. Amanuamed Morris, it appoared, had been in the employ of Millar, had been discharged, and had been. given: by:' defendant an unstamped'order on one named Buick. ■ .■ ,i ,

James Morris, laborer,, sworn, deposed that he Imew Millar. Bad been working round about MastGrtori at the mill'defendant was managing. Was discharged on Ist March. Had been working for .Millar about five week'' 1 Was working on the straw at a thrashing mill. Was omployed by Millar himself. ■" Was working five weeks steady prior to Ist March., When lie was discharged defondant gavo him.an order on'Mr, BUick. Order produced was the. one. g'wen him. It was just the sanie as when he received it, there was no stamp on it, The order was given him in an envelope, and was now the : same as when/ /given the police. Did not present the order,to Mr Buick, but handed it to. tbo police. Was working "There, one present. when -he was given, the order.", ''' • By Mr Pownall:, Tho .order was in theenyelopo.when.he received it. Ho was requested to give the order to Bujclc. The envelope was given him opened. • When he received the letter lie askod what Was the mattor. He did not fancy getting the " sick." His reason for taking the order to the police was becauselie liadbeen sei'veil a dirty trick. having , sacked liini to take ou another man, Did not know Millar before he'wap ''takeji ,into, his employ. Knew.' ■ defendant < wa's -Mr Buick's foreman, and that -he was practically working for Mr Buick. .othermeirleft'.while ho. wftß there. therefore knew thaUhis ordefcw.ft breach of the Btatap Aot. Took the order as payep. Didiiot jsno^as.payee olithe order he sh'ouldhave affixed the stamp himself; or'that He was liable totponoiijv Piiuot tfcitif

fftatgpl it to Mr Buicklie had a right &t'a penny stamp on it and make. ' i§|ood, With the order given he ■ l|pd to Mr Baick for his wages, : , : Millar was Mr Boiok'a - /df'eman, aud expected payment from him in the first place. Did ■ liot tell Millar the order was not stamped, By Sergeant Price: His reason for bringing ths order to tho police wi ' • offer to . negotiate, it with wiybody. ■ y Had the'order.'noC; b'oon'giveD.',hihi ! > liewould-have--looked".to ! Millar-fot' l his pay.; : Mr Pownall asked for a dismissal, as ho considered the thing was most absurd. The order was not a bill of exohauge i under Section of the Bill of Exchange Act. The order was not presented, there was no issue, and therefore it was void, After a retirement of half an hour, ' the Bench that it had arrived;, at the conclusion that a. breaolijof tho Btauip Aot had been made,-as the order wasmade to " pay bearer." Taking into consideration, however, the faet that it was not intended to defraud the revenue, & nominal penalty would be inflicted of . ;lß,witb lOscosts. The Bench remarked that it would be woll, on similar occasions, if the words" phase pay bearor" were not inserted, as this practically formed the order. '

Mastertoii School Committee. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Masterton School Committee.was r ., .held in.- the offico of tho Secretary, Lgs last'evening, there being, Messrs A. W. Benall (chairman), E, M'Ewen, W. Prapgnollj' Q- JE. Daniell, J. \V. Leahy, k',M, Hoggy >. and AJ. Hathaway. • i Tho minutes pf tUe last ordinary and special y etjngsj were and confirmed. 1 "' ''

The. Treasurer reported a debit balauc| of £lO 'Correspondence was read from tho .Beard, recommending the appointment of Mr Gifford (at present temporarily as second acsistant in -jtlia resolved that the selection' of 'the Board be confirmed. ■

Tlio Headmaster reported 589 children on tho roll, the average attendance (being 482, It was aluo reported that a.concrete trough hud been fitted to a^vd\T as the two suotiofl required, tlieir removal was suggested; '' " v Vj The head teaober also that the j .Committee' arrango for the winter supply of 6rewood, r r ., f i a A: statement of the iosti c>Fhistocioal T readersand clubs were submitted to ' the Committee. It .was "decided to remove the old pumps, and that they, he submitted, to auction, but the Committee could ''' not seo thoir way cleat to expend money (in histyrioal readers • clubs in 1 the present etatcrfinances,' Mr Jackson, howevor, wasinatruoted to usohis own discretion in the; devoting of tho money''of the "cadet-fund to these purposes. ' Complaint was made that tho closets of the school. were not, regu. f •«, larly attended to,'and '-the ; was instructed to communicate with the local Board of Health on the subject, ; . ! It was decided that tenders'-be-invited for firewood,

Miss Keeling reported 126 children on the infant roll, and the averoga attendance 105,and ; also.calledatton- s <,, tiontothefaettiiat thore waV'orily '".j seating accommodation in tha . school' j for 100 children, .$ , It was resolved' that a copy of MiES report be forwarded to tho 9 Board, with tho revest tliat tlieyict'' upon if with promptitude, tho Committee expressing the, opinion that, it v .;. was.time a new school was erected to meet- the requirements of the tho sickhCSs prevailing amongst tho ohildreh, rand the Secretary was instructed, to write to the various medial; officers in the borough,, and . ascertain how many child® were 1 - suffering from sickness.

It was also decided that Mr_JaokI son aud : i([ ■ V use their own judgment in refusing to' admit children where, eickuoss existed iti the family. ' •• 1 •' i' Mr. M'Kenzie, who had received promotion to the; Greytotyu, sohcfel,. ( , | £ and was trained in the Maatertoii 1 ■ school, received a testimonial signed by each member, of. tbo Committee, i ; VMr ; PraugQbll hi; ippota I 1 visitingnwmber.'' ' " ? - f >■ * The meeting then adjourned,