Fifth Report of the Vestry of the Parish of Chelsea in the County of Middlesex, Appointed Under the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855: 1860-1Lahee, Charles
History
Fifth Report of the Vestry of the Parish of Chelsea in the County of Middlesex, Appointed Under the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855: 1860-1
Lahee, Charles
Chelsea (London, England) -- History -- 19th century; Chelsea (London, England) -- Politics and government
Dear Sir, We have given the subject of our Mr. Pemberton’s
conversation with you respecting our bill of costs, mature
consideration, and feeling the delicate position in which the vestry
are placed as trustees accountable to their constituents, we would
suggest that for the future all our bills be referred to Mr. Richard
Dax, of the Temple, barrister at law, for taxation, and to certify
the amount properly payable to us. This course is adopted by the
Great Western and North Western railway companies, the Oxford,
Worcester and Wolverhampton railway company, the Shrewsbury railway
company, the Metropolitan railway company now in course of formation,
all of whom refer their solicitors’ bills to Mr. Dax for the
satisfaction of the shareholders, and we believe it to be the
practice with nearly all railway and other large companies; should
the vestry resolve to do so, we shall feel great pleasure in
submitting our bills to Mr. Dax, and being bound by his certificate,
as it is extremely distasteful to us that any doubt should exist in
the minds of the vestry as to the propriety or amount of any item
charged by us, which however there almost necessarily must be, from
the technical manner in which solicitors are obliged to make out
their bills. We ought to add, that we have no sort of personal
acquaintance with Mr. Dax, who is the son of the late Master of the
Exchequer, and a well known author and authority on the subject of
solicitors’ costs. Should the vestry adopt our suggestion, we must
ask to be allowed to make out the bills now before them, afresh, as
they are not framed for taxation, and that in future, our bills
should be delivered half-yearly and paid within a short time after
they have been certified, and we remain, dear Sir, your’s faithfully,
LEE & PEMBERTON.
The vestry, having accepted the proposal, returned the bills to the
solicitors as desired, and requested Mr. Finch, a solicitor and a member
of the vestry, to attend the taxation. This, after a strong protest from
the solicitors, he did; and the accounts amounting to £914. 3s. 5d., as
originally delivered, were settled by Mr. Dax at £998. 8s. 7d., including
the costs of taxation.
The law costs for the present year have been submitted to the same
process, and have been certified by Mr. Dax to be correct at the amount
at which they were sent in,—viz., £177. 1s. 6d.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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