AWARD RESTORED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 131, 15 March 1935, Page 5

AWARD RESTORED

SUM OF £35,000 INVOLVED.

SUNSHINE ROOF ON MOTOR. DECISION BY HOUSE OF LORDS. (United Piress Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, March 14. The Judicial'Committee of the House of Lords, in a judgment in the Austin Sunshine roof case, restored the award of £35,000 against Austin Motors. Lord iSankey, announcing the decision, held that there was ample evidence that the drawings were sent to Sir Herbert Austin confidentially, only to. be used for the purpose of considering whether lie would take out a license or patent. He hoped the parties would agree among themselves about costs. The case lasted 15 days in the original Court and 11 each in the Appeal Court and House of Lords. A London cablegram dated March 27, 1934, stated: The Court of Appeal reversed, with costs, the decision of the King’s Bench Division in the case in which Mechanical and General Inventions Company and Edouard Believers were awarded £98,550 against the Austin Motor Company for alleged breach of an agreement in connection with the design of the Sunshine roof. The Appeal Court held that in face of the terms of certain letters the jury could not reasonably find that an agreement existed, of which they held a breach had been committed. Therefore judgment for £63,550 was set aside," likewise the other judgment foi £35,000, because it could not be deducted that the documents sent in solicitation to a possible manufacturer carried, and imposed upon the recipient, the duty to observe and keep secret counsel in them. Judgment would be entered for plaintiffs for the nominal sum of 40s without costs on the claim relating to the confidential agreement.