CLAIM FOR £1823

Grey River Argus, 13 December 1943, Page 6

CLAIM FOR £1823

CASE OF DREDGING RETURNS CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 12. The hearing of a claim for £1823 8s Id as payment for secretarial and and managerial expenses allegedly incurred in work carried out by British Developments (N.Z.) Ltd.,, for Associated Gold Dredges (N.Z.) Ltd., occupied the attention of the Supreme Court, and the case will be continued on Monday. Mr K. M. Gresson appeared for the plaintiff. Mr C. S. Thomas for defendant, said Associated Gold Dredges was willing to pay any fair sum for services given by British Developments. The basis of the defence was that Associated Gold Dredges had paid sums to Walter James Watkins. managing-director of British Developments, for his services, which actually came within the scope of the work contracted for by British Developments. If these amounts were set off against the claim, the advantage would be to the defendant. The total amount paid to British Developments by Associated Gold Dredges m the period of employment from October 19, 1938, to May 13, 1942, was £4958 £l7oo in secretarial fees and £3258 in managerial expenses, Mr Thomas added. However, the defendant had also paid Watkins £1227 as manag-ing-director for work he should nave performed as an employee of the dredging company through its contract with British Developments. The account for £1823 was sent in for office salaries, rent, telephone, heating, lighting and cleaning at Greymouth. This had been investigated by H. Bicknell and *C. C. Holland, independent public accountants and auditors. Bicknell allowing £1253 10s 9d as a reasonable charge and Holland £llB9 -5s lOd. From the. mean figure of £l2OO for these office expenses at Greymouth should be deducted thp £1227 paid to Watkins direct and £362 as part fees to Thomas Learton, jun., for supervising the installation of a dredgfi, a total of £1589. This left £389 m favour of Associated Gold Dredges.