ROAD BOARD SUED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 832, 28 November 1929, Page 11

ROAD BOARD SUED

ENGINEER’S CLAIM FOR £2,199

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES The former consulting engineer of the Mount Wellington Road Board, Samuel Trevor Dibble, was the principal figure in a claim for £2,199 he brought against the board, heard by Mr. Justice Blair in the Supreme Court today. Dibble’s claim was for professional services he asserted he had rendered to the board during his term as conbet reen L 925 and 1928. A large number of the 31 items in the original claim were abandoned or referred to arbitration. The board paid £268 into court, contending that this was sufficient to meet all claims, and it contended the former engineer’s account to be unreasoable. A counter-claim for £56 for alleged over-payment to Dibble and £65 for the hire of a road roller was made by the board. Mr. Dickson, with him Mr. Fiddes, appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Towle represented the defendant board. QUESTION OF INSTRUCTIONS The items to be dealt with by the court were reduced to six or seven, Mr. Dickson explained. Counsel said that Dibble had to prove that he had been instructed to carry out certain work for which he claimed fees, and in event of it being held that instructions had been given, the amounts that should be paid would be decided by arbitration. Evidence was given by Samuel Trevor Dibble, who was appointed consulting engineer to the board in November, 1924, concerning the fees he claimed for plans and specifications he prepared under the board’s instructions, and commission for the supervision of road works. (Proceeding.)