SOLICITORS' FEES.

West Coast Times, Issue 200, 10 May 1866, Page 2

SOLICITORS' FEES.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE WEST COAST TIMES. Sir — I ( have perused Mr John M. Coote's letter in your columns of to-day's paper. I will merely make my plain statement in reply thereto, leaving thoso who take the trouble to read hia letter and mine, to form their own conclusions. Mr John M. Coote camo to my office, and instructed me in two oxtended jurisdiction cases, against persons living in Okarita. I advised him in consultation ; issued the summonses, and did all that wag nccossary for his interest. In consequence of his absence, however, I gave notico of discontinuance in time at Okarita, and subsequently, on his reappearance, issued fresh summonses, subpoenas, &c. During one of our interviews, I informed Mr Cooto distinctly of the invariable rulo of my office, namely, that in lieu of making out a solicitor's bill of costs in each case, which would amount to from L 4 to to LlO, I charged a fee of from three to five guineas, according to the nature and amount of the case, "as a retainer for all business done previous to the trial "—the counsel's fee on trial, as a matter of course, belonging to the couusel, I had to remind Mr Coote before trial that he had not paid me anything ; and he seemed most unwillingly to drag out of the innermost recesses of some pocket, the necessary retainer. After the very hard fight I (had in his cases, Mr John M. Cooto called and paid me a balance of 195., for moneys chiefly paid out of pocket, and asking me for a receipt for fees already paid — received it — although I showed him my brief, marked ' "Mr South, retainer five guineas," and also marked across <l paid." I charged Mr Coote no counsel's fee at all in the other and very peculiar case he lost. "Verily Mr Coote is one of that peculiar class of clients who expect lawyers to work and cudgel their brains for nothing ; and, reviewing my experience of the gentleman, lam forcibly reminded of what the great Canning said of a peculiar genus of merchants. With regard to the most unjust slur attempted to bo cast on our Resident Magistrate, I need make only one remark, namely, that I do not believe there is a man existing in the community who entertains the shadow of a doubt of his strictly rigid impartiality. I am,- Sir, your obedient servant, S. M. South, Ilokitika, May 9th.