GEORGINA LADY DUDLEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11644, 4 May 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

GEORGINA LADY DUDLEY.

ALLEGES EXCESSIVE CHARGES FOR HOUSE DECORATION. j The case of Bertram v. Georgina Countess of j Dudley is creating a great interest at the j Law Courts. Messrs. Bertram and Co., j builders and decorators, of Dean-street, j Soho, are claiming £19,432 for work done . t 53, Grosvenor-street, the residence of the ! countess, who says the charges are excessive. Legal luminaries waxed loquacious on March 19 in the court of Mr. Pollock, the j Official Referee, over a mass of figures and estimates that seemed innumerable. Latin , quotations and gems of sparkling wit iliumi- j Bated the progress of a lengthy end otherwise trying cross-examination. - .Y'V. Bern-am acknowledged in cross-ex-amination by Mr. Chilly that he sub-let the work to a "contractor named Hume, and contented himself with a very genera! supervision. He left such things as painting, material, and quality and quantity of work done to his subordinates. A pretty considerable item came under the heading of "cab fares, personal." Mr. Bertram said he was constantly having interviews with Lady Dudley about the work when she was in town. Asked how the sum of elevenpence worked out in a. cab fare, he thought that perhaps he might have occasionally descended to the very common and humble penny omnibus in his journeys between Soho and Grosvenor Square. Portions of the money, he added, might have been expended on railway fares in visiting the countess when she was out of town. It also appeared that one day a furious gale blew and scattered a few bricks on a neighbouring chimney stack. That, said Mr. Bertram, when cross-examined by Mr. Chilly on the subject, accounted foi the item." " Damages to Mr Lee's chimney stack. £'L" appearing in the bill. Said Mr. Chitty: Do you mean to say that you think that you were justified in charging Lady Dudlev n;~.t only for that ..- item, but also with 10 per cent, profit on r it? Mr. Bertram replied that, he thought he certainly was. "Then," said Mr. Chitty. "I wonder yon didn't knock down the whole house, rebuild it, and charge 10 per cent, upon that." " We have some honesty in us ; we are not so black as you are trying to paint us," replied the contractor. "I'm not trying to paint you at ail," said the learned counsel. " that's your work; and don't talk to me about honesty." The hearing was adjourned.