An action relating to a house in the "Trenches'' was down for hearing yesterday before his Honour Judge Grain, plaintiff being M. Goldman and defendant C. 8S. Maitland. Plaintiff claimed the return of a deposit of $3,000 paid to defendant under the terms of a contract for the lease of No. 1 Jukong Road. Goldman entered into possession on December 10 last, and had been there only 17 days when the premises were closed by order of the Chinese authorities, and they have remained closed ever since. Plaintiff further claims the return of various wines and spirits belonging to him and Toft by him on the premises and consumed er wrongfully detained by defendant, or in the alternative, their value, $450. There was a further claim for damages for such wrongful detention.
Mr. PW. Goldring appeared for plaintiff and Mr. L. Kentwell for defendant.
Mr. Goldring pointed out to his Lordship that no statement of defence had been filed, as directed, but that defendant's counsel had sent to him an extraordinary document which he called ta plea to the jurisdiction." He asked that this be removed from the file, and the case be proceeded with His Lordship said the Registrar had received a similar document. It was sent as "a plea to the jurisdiction," but the Registrar could not make out what it was and returned it. The document came back again marked "Statement of defence."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.