OBJECTION TO ACCOUNT

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1929, Page 11

OBJECTION TO ACCOUNT

PERUSAL OF DOCUMENTS LAWYER’S CHARGES EXCESSIVE. AUCKLAND BOARD PROTESTS. (By Wire —Special to News.) Auckland, Last Night. Objection to an account for £368 issued by n firm of Wellington solicitors for perusing and verifying documents relating to the raising by the Auckland Power Board of a loan of £250,000 from the Australian Mutual Provident Society was made at a meeting of the board to-day. Members expressed the opinion that the amount charged was unwarranted. It was decided to pay the account and to enter a protest against the firm’s high demands. “Mention is made of the trouble involved, but that was very slight,” said the chairman, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth. “The greatest trouble was borne by our own office and by our solicitors, who drew up the documents connected with the debentures. All that the solicitors in Wellington had to do was to scrutinise the papers and see that they were all right. Picking up sovereigns is hard work compared with what they had to do. In addition they want to be paid before wo get the money. It will be about two years before we raise the whole amount.”

“It only goes to show the truth of Shakespeare’s dictum, “Neither a borrower nor a lender be,” said Mr. T. Bloodworth. “I do not know of an easier way of making money, not even on the totalisator,” said the chairman. “There is only one man I know who could beat a lawyer over charges, and that is a plumber,” said Mr. J. Rowe. “A plumber will charge for every conceivable thing on the job and he will wind up by asking for so much for spirits.”

“Our own solicitors who had the work of drawing up all these documents,” said the chairman, “charged only about half what we are now being called upon to pay.” It was decided to pay the account and to enter a formal protest against the charge made.