Powder Puffs for All

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 429, 10 August 1928, Page 13

Powder Puffs for All

BUSINESS COMEDY IN COURT

Judge's Calculations CAN New Zealand absorb 14.400 powder puffs a week.’ Ernest Hawkins Little, agent, of Auckland, rather doubted it when lie was offered a puff-making business by Edward Tolley, of Sydney, along with a lamp-shade manufactory, etc.

Tj’INDIN'G that Little was getting ! rather cold about, acquiring the | concern a man name Bruford, a trav-1 eller tor Tolley, offered to demonstrate i how easily the powder puffs were sold, j Accordingly he suggested a tour of j Auckland chemists’ shops. Inquiries j at a Remuera pharmacy proved fav- ] ourable. Moreover, the profit on j powder puffs was 100 per cent. Little | bought the business. In the Supreme Court this morning j ID. B. Tolley and Co., of Sydney (Mr. j McVeagh) proceeded against 3D. H. Little and Co. (Mr. Leary) for payment of a promissory note for £262. Little counterclaimed £ 1,800 alleging fraudulent misrepresentation. He paid a total of £4,571 in the purchase of Tolley’s business a year ago. This consisted of the leases of a factory and two retail shops. The defendant alleged that 100 per cent, gross profit on manufacturing costs of lamp shades was not obtainable; that the promised £1,500 profit per annum on the two retail shops had not materialised; that two contracts with “sound and willing” purchasers involving £B,OOO, of which £5,911 yet remained to be fulfilled, were made, one with an “unsound” and the other with an “unwilling” purchaser, the actual worth of goods bought by these totalling only £1,351. Further allegations of misrepresentation were that goods on order were valued at about £7OO, when in fact the commitments in this respect were about £1,275. Lastly, at the then price of powder puffs there was no market for anything like 100 gross a week. Giving evidence about powder puffs Little said Tolley had assured, him there was a great deal of money to be made out of these requisites. Tolley proposed selling out to witness to go to Australia where there were seven million people. The demand for puffs over there would be enormous. He and his wife (a partner in the Tolley business) expected to get wealthy in no time. They "would then travel to England. • . A condition of the sale would be that Little would sell no puffs in Australia Tolley would undertake not to flood New Zealand with puffs from Sydney. Mr. Justice Reed expressed surprise that New Zealand could use 14,500 powder puffs a week. “Do these things wear out,” asked his Honour, and the court chuckled.

While the evidence proceeded his Honour worked oil a little mathematics. Presently he asked; “Are 3 r ou sure Tolley said 100 gross a week?” “Oh, yes, your Honour,” witness affirmed, "l have found it was simply outrageous.” “I have just calculated,” said the Judge, “that at 100 gross a week New Zealand would require three-quarters of a million a year—half a puff for every man, woman and child in the country.” Immediately after the luncheon adjournment counsel notified the Court that negotiations were in progress with a view to arriving at a settlement. (Proceeding.)