CHEAP PRINTING.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 885, 9 November 1871, Page 3

CHEAP PRINTING.

In the Eesident Magistrate's Court Nelson, on Wednesday, Lucas and Son printers and lithographers, sued W. H. West for payment of £45 12s. 6d., claimed as the price of 500 small lithographic show cards. It appeared from evidence Wylie, plain tiffs' workman, that Mr West had wished to have a show card. A sketch was taken of the building, and the card shown to defendant who said he wished to have 50, but was from time to time induced to increase the number, until 500 was agreed to, no price being mentioned, although defendant stated he had repeatedly asked the cost, and was told that it could not properly be stated until the work was finished. When 500 were complete Mr West was asked to make it 1000, on which it appeared he again desired to know the price, and was told only that the extra 500 would cost £l2 10s., but was not told the price of those already finished, except that it would be reasonable. On learning what the additional number would cost, he said he would not take any more. On the account being sent in he disputed the price, and refused payment. In the course of bis evidence the witness Wylie said he had kept a careful note of the time he had spent on the work, and that to produce it he had required eight weeks' time, which at £4 per week, came to £32; there was £4 10s for material and to this 25 per cent, was added for profit. The defendant in the course of his evidence declared that had he thought the cost would be more than £lO, he would not have had the cards at all; that he offered £22 10s as the price, and had paid that sum into court. He had, since the dispute arose, writ-

ten Mr Hughes, lithographer and engraver, in Wellington, and to Messrs Kempthorne and Co., of Dunedin, sending them copies of the show card and asking at what price they would supply him with 500 like the sample. He had received letters in reply, but Mr Fell, who was for Messrs Lucas and Son, objected to the letters being read, as they were not admissible. The Magistrate held the objection good, and the letters were not read. Mr Webster deposed that he had been two years at the lithographic business in]Seotland, and knewa good'deal of the various branches of the work ; he knew work of this description, aud had estimated that here a fair price fcr the cards would be about £l6 to £3O. The job was very fair,; except that the drawing of the building was very poorly done. He explained the different processes of printing by lithography in five colors, each color required a separate stone, but that the transfer to the stones, and filling in of the colors, was purely mechanical. He had seen far better work often long ago. The Resident Magistrate held that no price being agreed on, and no legal evidence being offered as to the current price, although that could have been obtained by means of the Act of 1870, which empowered a party to summon a witness before a Resident Magistrate in another Province, and give his evidence there—he felt that in absence of any agreement it would be hard to refuse Mr Lucas his outlay. He would therefore give judgment for £32 for wages, and £4 10s. for material, and allow 10 per cent, of profit on the same, making, .£4O 2s. 6d. with costs £3 7s. Mr H Pitt acted for defendant.