HOTEL VALUATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 March 1925, Page 3

HOTEL VALUATION.

COURT CASE. A case which has been before the Magistrate’s Court, at Eltham for nearly nine months was finally heard yesterday (says the Argus). Harry Burrows, trading as H. Burrows, Palmerston North, land agent (Mr McGregor) claimed £36 5s from J. J. Patterson, proprietor of the Eltham Hotel, Eltham (Mr A. A. Stewart), being fee on valuation of the stock of liquors at the Eltham Hotel, made by the plaintiff at the request of th@> defendant- in 1924. - .

A counter-claim for £6l 11s lOd was filed, in which the defendant, alleged that the plaintiff failed to exercise due care and skill in valuation, and included in the list the price of certain goods of a value of £6l 11s lOd which were not ' liquor, causing' the defendant -to pay to Mrs Clarke, the previous owner, that amount. . . . . , ; Plaintiff’s evidence had been talien on commission at Palmerston North. Giving evidence, defendant- "Said he llad signed an agreement that the valuation was only to be of the liquor stock. After the stock had been valued Burrows asked defendant- -for his/cheque, and defendant had. replied that the cheque would be forwarded immediately he received a price, list-of the stock. Plaintiff promised to do so, but he sent a list which did not have the prices. He did not think the stock value was £ISOO, and that was why he wanted the. price list W. O. Hill, managing clerk for Mr Stewart, denied' that he had given Burrows and Whiteford specific instructions as to what stock should be valued. He read only the agreement. .The Magistrate said that on the face of the evidence the plaintiff (Burrows) hfjd not been diligent or used all his business acumen, skill . and care in valuing. Plaintiff was entitled to liis fee, minus 24 per cent on £6l 11s lOd, making £34 14s 3d. and costs £9 19s 6d, Defendant (Patterson) w,as given judgment for the amount of the coun-ter-claim, and costs £7 2s.