AN INTERESTING LITTLE BILL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 149, 21 June 1878, Page 4

AN INTERESTING LITTLE BILL.

[From tue « Duneniin Morning Herald," '. • 7th instant.] Tbe Law Charges of Mr.,W. L. Rees and Mr. T. to. Higlop, M.H.R.'s, in connection with the Parliamentary Prosecution of Mr. Gcorffe Jones, Jun., Oamaru, for alleged libel. As already stated by us the full amount claimed by Mr J. A. Hielop, ■olicitor, Dunedin, and Messrs Hislop ftud Crenel), solicitors, Oamaru, ig £2,117 14s. Mr. J, A. Hislop's Charges, which, with a single individual exception, seem fairly moderate, amount to—- £ s. d. 278 6 2 Then his bill proceeds thus— Pfcid Agents' expenses as follows— Hislop and Creagh ... ..,1709 10 0 Izard and Bell 2 2 o Mr Tyler .... ... ... 4IS 8 Mr Fitzherberfc ... 3 8 2 Witnesses— Mr Brissenden ... £27 6 0 • Capt. Beaden ... 23 15 o Mr. Clarke ... 23 15 o Dr. Pollen ... 45 8 0 Mr. Taiaroa ... 414 o 124 18 o < £2117 14 0 0 Mr A. Hislop's bill of costs comencea with an item dated 20th December, 1877 f in these words ; — *' Having received telegram from Mr Hislop, at Wellington, hereob, and instructing me io issue subpoena," &c. This bill of costs discloses and charges for a number of communications between Mr J. A. Hislop, Dunedfn, and Mr T. W. Hislop,;. while in Wellington. There ere many charges Jor interviews beSween Mr,. J. Jrlislop and the Crown Solicitor in -Duoedin. Then with regard, to striking a jury for the trial, there is a charge on 4th March, 1878, for "attending Messrs. Stout and Reed, submitting list; and conferring thereon —long attendance—£l Is." On the sth March' 'there is an item, " Having deceived list from Messrs Hislop and j Creagbj with instructions, perusing, ! etc., 6a Bdi" "Attending Messrs Reed j and Fen wick, conferring, 3s 4 V Oo ; the 18 th March there is an. item, "At- 1 tending you as to your expenses, when i I advised you to petition the House, 6s Bd. Preparing petition and getting eame^Dgfossed, £5 55." The feeß' '.alleged to, have'been paid to Mr. R9es are as follow : — * In Mr J. A. Hislop's bill :— „ £ s. d. March 11,— Consultation Mr Bees 3 5 6 Fee settling joinder ia demurrer 1 3 6 Paid ' Mr Rees fee on demurrer... 15 5 0 March 12.— Judgment having been given for the Crown, Consultation with Mr Rees 3 5 6 Paid Mr Bees to Bettle amended pJea ... ... .. ... $jo o March 14 —Consultation with Mr .„ R eeß 3 5 6 Mr Bees settling joinder in demur- " rer" to amended plea 13 6 Mr Btes to argue demurrer ... 210 o £53 18 6 ; In Messrs Hislop and Oeagh's bill, the fees paid to Mr Rees ore as follows :—» £ s. d 1877.— September,— Paid Mr Rees retainer ... ... .... n o 0 ■ Consultation af Hotel ... .... 2 4 6 Fee Wellington Police Court ... 22 0 0 September SO.— Consultation ... 610 o Fettling Pleas ... ... ... 510 0 1878.— Marbh 9.— Consultation ... 510 0 Paid Mr Rees with brief ... 540 0 0 ;' Eefresher „. .« ... 375, 0 0 Making thusXtotal of ... 920 13 0 The .fees-, alleged to have been paid to Mr T. W. Hislop, personally, are as follow : — ' nn ~ £ s. d. Betainerior, Mr Hialop ... ... 5 7 « Oonsultatioa - 3 5 & March .9, 18-76, Consultation ... 3 5 6 Mr Hislop's fee with brief ...270 0 0 Befresher ... ... J3 7 l 0 0 £419 8 6 This amount seems at first sight moderate compared' with Mr. feees' £920,135 ; but it is to be remembered that the bill of Hislop and Creagh amounts in all to £1709 10s Id. Mr; J. A. Hislop charged for letters, messages, attendances, and telegrams, from September to March, the Bum of £25, This, however, is a lump sum charged in addition to detailed- and specific items from, similar services. Messrs.* Hislop and!Creagh|eharged in addition 1 to specified items in respect of similar services, the sum of £50 " for letters, 1 messages, telegrams, and attendances from August, 1877, to March, 1878." The following items also appear in their account :— „ lustrnctiong for brief 52 10 0 Drawing brief , 76 0 0 Engrosiing 70 0 0 Copy for Mr. Hislop ... : 70 0 0 There are also some curious and instructive items in the bill rendered. We have already quoted one of these . for attendances on Messrs. Stout and Beid, conferring over the jury list, and also upon Messrs. lieid and Fen wick . upon the same subject. On 15th February,lß7B,. we find Messrs. Hislop and Creagh charging for conferring with Mr. Jones, "and Mr. Gr. M. Seed re case in long attendance." On ltffch February, « telegrams to Mr. a. M. Heed" is made an entry to debit of tbi - account. On October Bth, " attending Mr. James Mackay as to evidence hi would give; several attendances on him and Mr. Rees, when it was determined . not to subpoena him, £2 25." Then on the 22nd December, v attending you aa to what witnesses you required, and :as to getting money to pay their expenses, Gsßd." "Telegrams to Mr. Rees as:to .witnesses, 9s 4d." « Attend- , ing you— urging you to put us in funds, when we prepared document to be signecLbj.some. friende, £1 Is." And on March* 3rd; 1878, therV is this highly

suggestive item, " Jury list having been sent, going carefully through same with you ; attending on various persons as to jurymen, £2 2s/' .■ We do not think anything more I recherche than this item ought reasonably to be looked for in a lawyer's bill of costs, and we therefore now part from the whole subject with the observation that the billa will well repay repeated study. We had intended to publish them in eztenso, but as they cover twenty- three pages of foolscap, our readers will have to defer an expectant treat until the Parliamentary blue books of next session make their appear- • an ce.