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{\title IN THE HIGH COURT OF FIJI (AT SUVA)}{\author Amelia Rasovo}{\operator blake_r}{\creatim\yr2004\mo8\dy30\hr10\min11}{\revtim\yr2004\mo8\dy31\hr10\min14}{\version3}{\edmins2}{\nofpages2}{\nofwords400}{\nofchars2280}{\*\company Judicial Department}
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\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881\charrsid11082881 
\par }{\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 (AT SUVA)
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 CIVIL APPEAL NO. HBA 3 OF 2002S
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 Between:
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 P.A. LAL COACHWORK LIMITED
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 Appellant
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 and
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 TRADE SUPPLIES LIMITED
\par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 Respondent
\par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
\par Ms. V. Lal for the Appellant
\par N. Prasad for the Respondent
\par 
\par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid11082881 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 JUDGMENT
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\par The Appellant undertook certain body works to a sports car at the request of the Respondent.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
In due course the Appellant presented the Respondent with invoices totalling $5,250 for works done.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 The Respondent\rquote 
s case is that the bill was excessive.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 It refused to pay and the Appellant issued a writ in the Suva Magistrates\rquote 
 Court on 18 August 2000.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 This is an appeal from the judgment of the learned Magistrate (J. Singh Esq) delivered on 2
5 October 2001.
\par 
\par As can be seen from the grounds of appeal the only matter at issue is the labour charges.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
These form a significant part of the Appellant\rquote s claim.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 79.3 hours of work were claimed at a rate of $45 per hour.}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 This amounts to $3568.50 or more than 3/5ths of the total claim.
\par 
\par The Appellant says that the Resident Magistrate was wrong to disallow a rate of $45 per hour described by him as excessive and that he should not have reduced the rate to $20.
\par 
\par Ms. Lal submitted that although there was evidence that the rate was \'93high\'94 (page 37 of the record) but that the Plaintiff\rquote s evidence did not show that it was excessive.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 She suggested that if it was wished to compare the rate charged by the Appellant with that charged by other garages then the Resp
ondent had failed to place any such evidence before the Court.
\par 
\par As I see it, the central problem facing the Appellant is that it was unable to show the Court how the labour charges were calculated.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 As can be seen from the evidence of Vinesh Maharaj, the Appellant\rquote s controller (pages 37 & 38 of the record) he did not know how many men worked on the job and for how long.}{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 He did not know whether 2, 3, 4 or 5 men had worked on the car and how many man hours had been put in by them.
\par 
\par A Plaintiff bringing an action before the Court has to prove it.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
The Plaintiff was unable to produce any records at all to support the claim that 79.3 hours had been spent on repairing this sports car.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{
\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 A bare invoice is plainly insufficient.
\par 
\par The Resident Magistrate heard evidence called by the Defendant which suggested that the amount claimed was excessive.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 
Given that the Plaintiff placed no accurately probative evidence before the Court at all on this matter my view is that the Resident Magi
strate was right to make what appeared to him in all the circumstances to be a reasonable adjustment to the amount claimed by the Plaintiff.
\par 
\par I can find no error in the Resident Magistrate\rquote s approach.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid11082881  }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid14488264\charrsid11082881 The appeal fails and is dismissed.
\par 
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\par Judge
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\par 16 April 2002
\par }}