CLEANING A COSTUME

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 19, 17 October 1919, Page 8

CLEANING A COSTUME

-o

A TAILOR'S RESPONSIBILITY.

A unique claim was heard at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Mr. W. G. ltiddell. S.M.. was asked to decidc a novel question—ls a tailor or other person who undertakes to remove a stain from an article of clothing liablo for tlw value of the article should tho effort to removo the stain prove a failure. and tho stain be rendered worsa than before? Tho parties in the dispute were Hester Hurst Scauer, plaintilt. anti .T. 1. Lewis, Ltd.. defendants. In her claim, plaintiff set out that she sent her costume, a crey check, to the defendants in order to have a small tea stain removed. When she next saw the costume tho stain had snread so much that sho_ was not inclined to wear it. Sho claimed jGI4. tho value of the costumo.

Thi> defenco was that tho company could not 1)0 hold responsible for tlio vuluo of the costume, for no puaranteo was Riven, nor could one have, been Riven owing to the unreliable quality of invsont-day dves. Wh?n tlio company undertook the" work they did so to obligo the nlnintiff, and Rave her to understand that Ihey would do their best. The couipnnv's servants then proceeded to deal ivitli the stain, which was treated in the usual manners-tepid water. This did not Rive any results, and furlh"r effort* to remove the stain led to a doubt ns to whether the stain was duo to tea. Tlio spreading of the stain was due to a defective dye. _ After hearing the evidence, the Magistralo save judgment for the nlnintiff for .£lO and costs, and directed that the defendant company retain possession of the costume. Mr. H. F. von Tfonst appeared Tor tlio plaintiff and Mr. K. Kennedy for tlio defendant.