COMMERCIAL.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 599, 28 December 1869, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Mercantile Law.—A piece of sharp practice (says the Timaru Herald) was perpetrated on Friday last which is likely to lead to considerable litigation, and which is of great interest to the trading community. It seems that a Duuedin firm some time ago sold a quantity of spirits to the value of about £SO to J. G. Hughes, of the Royal Hotel, who recently made an assignment for the benefit of his creditors. The goods in question were in bond at Timaru, am l , had been made over to third person for a debt. However, on Friday last, a representative of the Dune-din firm referred to arrived here, and on paying the duty on the goods, released them from bond, and shipped them back to Dunedin. We may explain that no bond warrants are used in the bonded warehouses at Timaru, and consequently the Customs authorities release the goods on the payment of duty, and the production of the bond key. An " indemnity " was given to the owner of the bond by the Dunedin firm, and now the alleged owner of the goods has taken proceedings against the owner of the bond to recover the valuo of the goods released. Altogether the case is one which involves several nice points of mercantile law, and the result of the proceedings will bo watched with interest.

Sale op Station Properties.—By the Otago Daily Times of Nov. 26th we learn that the following station properties have recently been sold in Otago, the purchaser being E. Campbell, Esq., viz.: Messrs Low and MacGrogor's, Clarke's, and Holt's Stations, comprising about 3000,000 acres of country, with improvements and 80,000 sheep, for i' 73,000 ; and Mr Baldwin's 70,000 acres country, and 27,000 sheep, for .£24,500. The same paper reports that Messrs Cargills and M'Lcan report the sale by them, as agents for Messrs Graham and Cook, of the Ben Lomond station, on the Waitaki, 35,000 acres of country, of which 5200 are freehold, with fair improvements and working plant, and 22,000 sheep and 5000 lambs, for the sum of £24,500.

Messsrs T. and E. Pavitt, of Christchurch, have been obliged to suspend business. The liabilities are stated to be over £BOOO, and as they are almost entirely local, it will press rather severely in some instances.