ALLEGED OVERCHARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 71, 23 March 1908, Page 5

ALLEGED OVERCHARGE.

RICHARDSON V. ABEL, DYKES, AND

Mr. District Judge Kettle gave judgment this afternoon in the case, William Richardson v. Abel, Dykes, and Co., a claim for £i(34' 4/10, said to have been overcharged by the defendant company in connection -with, the printing of the "Auckland Free Press" for the plaintiff.

Mr. Richardson conducted his own case, and Mr. Thorne appeared for the defendant company. The evidence, said his Warship, as to what the arrangements between the was, very hazy and conflicting, arid it was difficult to say what was actually agreed upon at the time. The accounts had been sent in regularly apparently two or three times a month, and the charges increased from time to time. No objection was taken at the time, and apparently they were paid and settled, and no complaint made. Mr. Richardson had given evidence that three distinct charges had been made. Now, after all these years Mr. Richardson sought tc recover from defendants what he says was overcharged., amounting to £IGS 2/4, on the grounds that the overcharge was a breach of the agreement, andsecondry* that the charges were so .grossly exces-' sive that it almost amounted to dishonesty. He did not think the evidence would justify him in coining to the conclusion that the charges were fraudulently excessive. Plaintiff had an opportunity lof seeing and checking the charges, and i plaintiff could not succeed. Defendants, ! however, admitted an overcharge through : clerical errors amounting .to. £, 18' ■ 15/9. ■ Judgment would therefore be for plaintiff for that amount with costs.