Incidents in the Career of a Showman.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4831, 21 September 1894, Page 2

Incidents in the Career of a Showman.

'o/ioW Oinme at the SM, Court,

A case, J. Bevel v Donald Dinnie, claim £$ 10s for wages for seven days work, was before Mr T. Hutchison, S,M,, at Maßterton yesterday, Mr Pownall,.in opening the case, said his client.was employed by defendant when at Tenui to act as advance agent,: to post bills, etc, After a few days work, however, he was told he was not wanted, and was discharged, only 3s being paid to him.. - .;.. ■.-■: ■■'.'.'•

J. Revel, the plaintiff,'., gave evidence, and stated that ho was a cook'j labourer, or sailor. He was at Mrs Owen's hotel, Tenui, and there the defendant had engaged him to act as advance agent, but no wages were specified. Ho bad worked a week and only got 3s for his maintenance'. His board bad been paid t for at Eketahnna and Mauriceville by Mrs Dinnie, when they were there posting bills, and he bad worked fourteen hours one day. Ho had to groom the horsos,, post bills, and was engaged on' Sunday washing the vehicles,' In reply to defendant witness said ho did not ask to get a ride to Mastcrton, as ho was leaving his J ob ' To the Bench: There was no mention of '. wages; ho was to get wages as advance agent if he proved fit for tho job, He was leaving the hotel in any'case, and asked defendant to take him on for a week,

By defendant: Was not offered board wages while on trial. Was sent to wash traps in the Temperance Hall yard on Sunday, but did not think that it was the work of an advance agent, Alfred Sylvester, who had left the Company, said that at Tenui he was told to wait for plaintiff, who on the road had helped to take tho vehicles through the mud. Knew plaintiff went to post bills at Gladstone, Mauriceville and Eketahnna with another man. Plaintiff was ordered to clean tho cart, • and had taken tickets at the door. Ten shillings a day was a reasonable wage for the work dono by plaintiff, Witness had been in the Company for eighteen months, and had seen defendant send men away without payment. Two shillings and sixpence a day was the wages paid to witness, and that only when they " showed," Dinuie had brought him into debt when they settled up, and took from him the boots and trousers he had on,

By defendant; Plaintiff was to do odd jobs and see if he was fit for

Dofendaut here said the trousers taken from witness were his own, that he had lent to witness, His Worship surpriscdlyromarking, "Is there only ono pair of trousers in fclio troupo ?" This was the case for plaintiff. Donald Dinnie, the defendant, gave evidence directly opposed to that given by the plaintiff, who ho said had at Tenui repeatedly asked to be taken oii as the advanco agent was leaving. After a time witness had agreed to give him a ride to Mastorton, and finally to give him a trial to see if he was fit for tho work that lie would be wanted to do. Had also ngt-ced to give him board and wages, whilo ho was on trial. It was soon found that he was not capable of posting bills, or of filling in the dates on them as required to be done. Plaintiff had really only worked three days. No doubt lie had done tho odd jobs mentioned, Ton shillings a day waswhathepaidadvance agents, but he had stipulated to Revel that he would havo to find security and be prepared to pay his own way for two weeks whilo travelling, He had no personal knowledge of how plaintiff could do the bill posting. Mrs Dinnie corroborated the evidence of her husband, and said she had seen plaintiff at work on the bills. He conld no more post up bills than a child of three years old, He had only worked three days and was hot worth is a day. Gertrude Emery and John Martin also gave evidence in favour of defondant, the latter saying that plaintiff could not write or post the bills as well as himself, although he did not consider he was qualified to give an opinion of anyone's work unless

I lie engaged them himself, and ho was particular in informing the Court that lie had boon in tho position of an employer.. Ho was ai painter by trade and knew ho could post bills" with the next man. " His Worship said he had to decide tho wages of" a cook, labourer or sailor, " and did not think tho services wore worth more than 4s a day. Judgement would be for that amoiiut for six clays, less 7s which 'had boon paid. _^