The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-23 00:00:00

LAW

WIIITECHA.PEL COUNTY COURT.
(Before Mr. Forster.)
THE SHIP BUILDING TRADE.--JOHNSON AND 19 OTHERS

V. ROSE AND ANOTHER.
This was an action to recover £5O, balance of a bill for re-
pairing a ship called the Jane Ewings.
Mr. Young said that he represented the 20 plaintiffs, whe
were shipwrights, and claimants of the sum named in the
summons. It appeared that a number of men were eni••
ployed on the ship Jane Ewings, undergoing repairs in de-
fendant's yard. They received the usual 7s. per day wages,
and it was customary, on the completion of the job to settle
up the bill, the balance, if any, being divided amongst the
met, according to their time.
Johnson, the first plaintiff, was called, and said he had
been at work upon the ship. He, in common with the other
men, received the 7s. per day. The charges in the bill pro-
duced were fair and reasonable. The work had been done.
Cross-examined by Mr. Philp—There were 22 men who
would have been entitled to their share of the balance due,
but the two not in the plaint waived all claim. •
Mr. Philp submitted that by a recent act, there being
more than 20 plaintiffs, the parties could not sue unless re-
gularly enrolled by Act of Parliament. He thought the
parties should sue separately.
Mr. Young—That act was surely never intended to ap-
ply to shipwrights and journeymen. Besides, there are in
reality only 20 plaintiffs, and the other two stand out. The
parties could not sue separately, the work having been per-
formed jointly; and it must be borne in mind that the
several plaintiffs had been placed on the job by defendant's
foreman.

His Honour—l do not think the Act could have bten in-
tended to apply in such a case as this. However, the case
had better proceed, and it would be seen how the matter
stood as the cause wont on, I think defendants should
waive the objection,

Witnesses were then called, and amongst the number a
Mr. Cyder, who had been for 34 years a foreman at Messrs.
Green and Wigram's yard. Ho said that tho original bill
made out by the plaintiffs was for £6O, but he had reduced
it £lO. Tie considered the bill, &e it now stood, to be very
low as to its charges.

Mr. Philp—That might be for large yards; but don't
you know that in a small yard like defendant's (Gun Dock),
smaller charges are made P . _ .

Witness—ln my 50 years' experience the price of labour
ie the same in all yards. _ _

is Honour thought the case should be referred to a

practical man,

Referred accordingly.

POLICE INTELL IGENCE.-(THIS DAl' .)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

CAUTION TO LICENSED VICTUALLERS.—" A VERY
RESPECTABLE MAN."—John Payne, a tall, shabby-looking
man, who gave a wrong address, was charged before Mr.
Bingham with uttering counterfeit coin at the Three
Compasses, Mount-street, Grosvenor-square.
Julia Lawrence, niece to Mr. John Harper, of the Three
Compasses, Mount-street, said that, on the previous even-
ing, the prisoner came in, called for a glass of gin, and ten-
dered in payment a shilling, which, on examination, she
found to be a bad one. She then handed it to her aunt,
who, on trying it in the detector, broke it in two. Upon
being asked his address, he said he was " a very respect-
able man," and was not aware it was bad, but a customer
having seen him drop something on the seat behind him,
wrapped in paper, and it being found that it was a bad
half-crown, a constable was sent for and he was given in
charge.

Henry White, the person alluded to by the last witness,
said that while the conversation was taking place concern-
ing the counterfeit shilling, he saw the prisoner quietly
drop something from behind him on to the seat, and in
picking it up found that it was a counterfeit halfcrown,
wrapped in paper, evidently with the view that it might be
dropped without making a noise ; and on taxing him with
it, he denied all knowledge of it, but at the same time tried
to obtain possession of it, saying that he (witness) was " a
very wicked person for insinuating that he had dropped
it, when he was a very respectable person."
Sergeant Harrill said he found on the prisoner a bad
fourpenny piece amongst some good money, and that the
prisoner had given a false address.
The prisoner declined giving his correct address, as it
would be annoying to his friends ; it being the first time he
had had any bad money. He was then remanded.
It was stated that a great deal of bad money has lately
been tendered to licensed victuallers.