LANDLORD AND TENANT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

LANDLORD AND TENANT.

DISPUTE OVER MUSIC LESSONS Ax amusing case is being fought out in the Paris Courts at present between Madame Ugalde, a well-known singer and teacher of singing, and her landlord, M. \Yertheim. The latter is suing his tenant for the cancelling of her '.ease and £248 damages for the prejudices caused him by her piano and her pupils. " Her singing lessons." he argues, "and exercises, which are always the same, are maddening and intolerable, the more especially as most of her pupils sing out of tune." In support of. his client's contention, counsel for the prosecution read a letter from a tenant on the floor directly above Madame Ugalde, a M. Franco Desclaux, in which he complains that " life in my flat is no longer worth living. To hear every day for several hours budding prime donne. performing exercises—always the same—to a one-linger accompaniment on the piano, then to be treated to the air of the ' Noces de Jeannette' or 'Mignon for several mouths is a torture. I am a passionate lover of music, but Madame Ugalde will end in making me a confirmed musicophobe." On his side, counsel for the defence read a letter from Madame Ugalde, delightfully feminine, especially in its nasty little hit against the petulant lodger on the fifth floor. "Do remember," she appeals to her landlord, "like the honourable gentleman I know you to be that before taking my flat I asked you whether you minded having a lyrical artist as tenant. To which you gallantlv replied that you would be charmed, "i gather that I do not charm the ear of my benevolent and amiable neighbour on the fifth floor, but neither does he charm mine for his continual and noisy quarrels with his housekeeper disturb the peace of the building. If he objects to'Les Noces de Jeannette and 'Mignon,' I will hence forward play for him the 'Servant* Maitresse of Pergolese, which will pro ably suit his tastes better." The Court deferred its judgment.