Legal Swindling.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 195, 25 July 1883, Page 2

Legal Swindling.

[Southern Exchange <j • In the House of Representatives on Thursday, Mr Duncan called forth roars of laughter by reading oat, m the debate on the Law Practitioners Bill, a bill of costs incurred m the Uamaru District by an old lady named Hart'ey, who had a claim for £6, and won it m Court, but was served by her own solicitor with a contra account fdr £12 ,8s 2d for costs. We can assure our readers, however, that the case is by no means a singular instance of the " ways that are dark and tricks that are vain" of certain membsrs of the profession. On one occasion wiLhin our knowledge a certain solicitor ooncocted a Bill of sosbs for over £27, and m. order to coerce his client into paying, by tenor of the length of his purse, sued for the amount m the Supreme Court instead of the District Court, J which would be the proper placo. The learned Judge objected ito being converted into a prothonotary and asked to tax bills of cO3ts, but nevertheless did so m that one instance, and the result was that, to the solicitor's disgust, his bill was taxed down to £9 and a few shillings, as that about 200 per cent, over th. proper amount of the bill clearly consisted of overcharges. In most business and professions this would be called by the vulgar name of swindling.