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4 Haw. 569

Luka v. Fyfe

Hawaii Supreme Court

Decided January 29, 1883

Hawaii Supreme Court · decided 1883-01-29

ON EXCEPTIONS. Action op assumpsit for board and also for small items, proper charges against administrator. Held: that the plaintiff could not recover, the Court having directed the administrator to pay the other small items which were not enough to carry costs in this Court.

Cited by 1 later decisions — most recently January 1915

1 state decisions

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1883-01-29

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¶1Opinion of the Court by

Judd, C. J.

¶2The plaintiff' brought his action at this term to recover from the administrator of Kauo, lately deceased, the sum of §322.50, §312 of which was claimed for board and lodging furnished the deceased for six:years preceding his death, and care of his land at §1 per week ; also §7.50 for a copy of a royal patent, and §3 for digging: deceased’s grave.

¶3The jury was waived, and the presiding Justice rendered judgment for defendant, which is excepted to by the plaintiff' as being contrary to the law and the evidence.

¶4It seems that the deceased had lived with plaintiff' for thirteen years up to the time of his death, being a distant relative- of his. He shared somewhat in the work of cultivation and preparing, food for the household, sold flowers from the garden, and lived in this manner without objection, no claim for' board or lodging ever having been made against *570him by the plaintiff; in fact, the plaintiff says he never expected pay. The- plaintiff was on friendly terms with deceased all the while, though he now says he was indolent, and a pleasure-loving- man.

S. B. Dole, for plaintiff.J". M. Davidson, for defendant.Honolulu, January 29, 1883.

¶5No express promise to pay was made by the deceased, and we think that all the- circumstances of this case negative the idea that a promise to pay for board and lodging can be-implied.

¶6An assumpsit, especially when the habits of Hawaiians as to such hospitalities are considered, cannot be implied- from the facts of this ease.

¶7The parties did not act as they would have actecf if the expectation of paying for board existed.

¶8As to the other items in the bill of particulars, we understand the Court directed the administrator to pay them.

¶9A judgment for these amounts could not carry costs.

¶10The exceptions are not overruled.

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