Garnet Industries Ltd v David Richard Everson (S.C.Z. Judgment 1 of 1987) [1987] ZMSC 3 (12 February 1987)
Full Case Text
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R. 104 (S. C.) \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 \par \ltrrow}\trowd \irow0\irowband0\lastrow \ltrrow\ts11\trgaph10\trleft-10\trftsWidth1\trpaddl10\trpaddr10\trpaddfl3\trpaddfr3\tblind0\tblindtype3 \clvertalt\clbrdrt\brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth9647\clshdrawnil \cellx9637\clvertalt\clbrdrt\brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth500\clshdrawnil \cellx10137\pard \ltrpar \qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 SUPREME COURT\line NGULUBE, D. C. J., {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname City}}GARDNER{\*\xmlclose} {\*\xmlclose} AND SAKALA, JJ. S. \par 20TH JANUARY, AND 13TH FEBRUARY, 1987.\line (S. C. Z. JUDGMENT NO. 1 OF 1987)\cell \cell }\pard \ltrpar\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 \trowd \irow0\irowband0\lastrow \ltrrow\ts11\trgaph10\trleft-10\trftsWidth1\trpaddl10\trpaddr10\trpaddfl3\trpaddfr3\tblind0\tblindtype3 \clvertalt\clbrdrt\brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth9647\clshdrawnil \cellx9637\clvertalt\clbrdrt\brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth500\clshdrawnil \cellx10137\row }\pard \ltrpar \ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 Flynote \par \ltrrow}\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 Civil Procedure - Counterclaim vague - Summary judgment - Whether appropriate.\cell \cell }\pard \ltrpar \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 \trowd \irow0\irowband0\lastrow \ltrrow \ts11\trgaph10\trleft-10\trftsWidth1\trpaddl10\trpaddr10\trpaddfl3\trpaddfr3\tblind0\tblindtype3 \clvertalt\clbrdrt\brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth9647\clshdrawnil \cellx9637\clvertalt\clbrdrt \brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth500\clshdrawnil \cellx10137\row }\pard \ltrpar\ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 Headnote \par \ltrrow}\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 The Plaintiff applied for summary judgment on his claim for money due under a contract of employment. The defendant did not deny the claim but raised a counter claim for an unspecified secret profit made by the plaintiff for "unknown services". The Deput y Registrar gave the defendant leave to defend. A Judge reversed that decision and gave judgment to the plaintiff. The defendant appealed.\line \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ab\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \b\cf1\insrsid1517068 Held: \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 The Court may disallow raising of a counter claim in a plaintiff's action in which event the defendant must com mence his own independent action if he is minded to pursue such cross-claim. In this case the counterclaim referred to "unknown services" and was singularly lacking in visible merit. The court found this to be an appropriate case to disallow it.\line \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ab\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \b\cf1\insrsid1517068 Case cited: \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 (1)\tab Miles v Bull [1969] 1 Q. B. 258 \line \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \fi-2160\li2160\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin2160 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 For the appellant:\tab H. H . Ndhlovu, H. H. Ndhlovu and Associates . \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 For the respondent:\tab S. Sikota, Chigaga and Co.}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 \cell \cell }\pard \ltrpar\ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 \trowd \irow0\irowband0\lastrow \ltrrow \ts11\trgaph10\trleft-10\trftsWidth1\trpaddl10\trpaddr10\trpaddfl3\trpaddfr3\tblind0\tblindtype3 \clvertalt\clbrdrt\brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth9647\clshdrawnil \cellx9637\clvertalt\clbrdrt \brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth500\clshdrawnil \cellx10137\row }\pard \ltrpar\ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 __________________________________________ \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 Judgment \par \ltrrow}\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \ab\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \b\cf1\insrsid1517068 NGULUBE, D. C. J.:}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 delivered the judgment of the court.\line \par On 20th January last we dismissed this appeal with costs and said then that we would give our reasons later, this we now do. For convenience, we will refer to the respondent as the plaintiff and the appellant as the defendant which is what they were in the action. The brief facts and history of the case can be shortly stated: The plaintiff issued a specially endorsed writ claiming the sum of K26,334.18n as money due to him from the defendant under a contract of service which had determined. After t h e defendant had entered appearance, the plaintiff took out a summons under Order 13. Affidavits were filed and, for reasons which will become obvious, it is necessary to set out certain portions of such affidavits. Paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 of the plaintiff' s affidavit in support read as follows:\line \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin720 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 "7.\tab That on 14th October, 1985 I gave the defendant 3 months' notice of my intention to resign in accordance with the Provisions of my contract. There is now produced to the and marked exhibit "DRE 2" a true copy of my letter of resignation. \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \line }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 p105 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin720 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 8.\tab That on the 16th October, 1985 the defendant purported to terminate my services with immediate effect in contravention of my contract of service. \par 9.\tab That the defendant owes the following payments arising from the contract: \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \fi-4320\li4320\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin4320 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 (a)\tab September 1985 salary\tab \tab K1,475.00 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 (b)\tab 16 days salary for October 1985\tab K 735.00 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 (c)\tab 3 months salary in lieu of notice\tab K4,425.00 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 (d)\tab 4 months gratuity at 25% of \tab K1,125.00 per month\tab \tab K1,125.00 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 (e)\tab 8 months and 18 days gratuity at 25% of K1,475.00 per \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 month\tab \tab \tab \tab K3,534.32 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 (f)\tab 28 leave days pay\tab \tab K1,332.26 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 (g)\tab Value of 3 Air tickets to \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 the {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname country-region}}United Kingdom{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\ul\cf1\insrsid1517068 K13,707.60 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \tab \tab \tab \tab \tab }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\cf1\insrsid1517068 Total }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0\afs22 \ltrch\fcs0 \fs22\ul\cf1\insrsid1517068 K26,334.18"\line \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 There then followed the usual a verment, as required by Order 13 rule 1, that in his belief there was no defence to the action. The defendant's affidavit in opposition was sworn by its managing director and paragraphs 5 to 9 thereof were in the following terms:\line \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin720 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 "5.\tab That I have read the affidavit of the plaintiff filed herein and in reply would say that the defendant has counter claims against the plaintiff as follows. \par 6.\tab That the plaintiff purchased a motor vehicle from Mr Ramesh Patel of {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname City}}Lilongwe{\*\xmlclose} in {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname country-region}}Malawi{\*\xmlclose} at the sum of {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname place}}{\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname country-region}}Malawi{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} k wacha 9,500.00 to be paid for out of remittances of the plaintiffs salary with the defendant. The repayments were guaranteed by the defendant and since August, 1985 when the said vehicle was purchased no payments have been made to the seller and the defen dant may as guarantor be called upon to make good the plaintiffs default. \par 7.\tab That prior to the plaintiffs arrival in {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname country-region}}Zambia{\*\xmlclose}, he obtained the total sum of 950 pounds sterling from the defendant's associates in the {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname place}} {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname country-region}}U. K.{\*\xmlclose}{\*\xmlclose} These sums were guaranteed by the defendant and the plaintiff has not paid the money back from his remittance as earlier on agreed.\line \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 p106 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \line \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \fi-720\li720\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin720 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 8.\tab That during the course of his employment with the defendant the plaintiff provided unknown services to Zambezi Auto and Marine Services Limited and was paid the sum of K10,000 for which no account has been made to the defendant and which account the defendant claims. \par 9.\tab That the plaintiff obtained advances totalling {\*\xmlopen\xmlns2{\factoidname place}}K2{\*\xmlclose},394.47 from the defendant and its associate companies which sum is still due and owing and the defendant will apply that the same be set off . \line \par }\pard \ltrpar\qj \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 The learned deputy registrar determined that on the affidavits triable issues had been raised - without saying what these were - and ga ve the defendant unconditional leave to defend. At the rehearing on appeal by the plaintiff to a high court commissioner at chambers, the learned deputy registrar's decision was reversed and the plaintiff granted leave to enter summary judgment on the gro u nd that, in the opinion of the learned appellate High Court commissioner, the defendant had not raised any defence on the meets. The learned high court commissioner was in agreement with the submissions made on behalf of the plaintiff to the effect that, the indebtedness not having been disputed by the defendant, there was no defence to the claims and that the counter claims raised were in any case untenable. It is against such determination that the defendant has appealed to this court.\line \par On be half of the defendant, Mr Ndhlovu advanced two grounds of appeal which are closely related to each other. The first ground was that the learned commissioner erred in both law and fact in finding in there was no defence to the plaintiff's action and in finding that t h ere was no triable issue to allow the defendant leave to defend the action. The second ground was that the learned commissioner erred in law and fact in finding that there was no triable issue because the defendant did not specifically deny owing the mone y . Mr Ndhlovu had an ingenious argument under these grounds. While accepting that there was nothing us the defendant's affidavit which could be regarded as a specific defence to the plaintiff's claims, he nevertheless argued that there was an implied defe n ce, or at any rate a triable issue, which could discerned from the affidavits. It was his submission that, since the plaintiff himself had disclosed, under paragraph 8 of his affidavit in support, mat the defendant had scaly terminated his services, and s ince there was an allegation in the counter - claims that the plaintiff had secretly earned a sum of K10,000 in circumstances prohibited by a clause in the contract - which the plaintiff exhibited - the court a }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ai\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \i\cf1\insrsid1517068 quo}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 should have apprehended that the plaintiff must have been summarily dismissed on disciplinary grounds. That being the case, so that submission went, the plaintiff would not be entitled to, and the defendant had a defence to, the claim for salary in lieu of notice and those portions of the claims for gravity and leave pay as were based on the period of three months notice not given.\line \par As Mr Sikota for the plaintiff lightly pointed out, the defendant was raising the defence of dismissal for the first time in this appeal. In this regard Mr Ndhlovu was , in effect, inviting this court to make a number of assumptions in his client's favour, and adverse to the plaintiff, and to assume that the plaintiff had in fact been summarily dismissed on disciplinary grounds and that the consequences of such dismiss al were as suggested by him.\line \par p107 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 We must decline Mr Ndhlovu's invitation. In the first place, we must point out that under Order 13 a plaintiff will be spared the cost and inconvenience of going to trial to establish a claim to which there is no bona fi de defence. In the second place, Order 13 Rule 1 requires the court to grant leave to the plaintiff to enter summary judgment unless the defendant by affidavit, by his own }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ai\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \i\cf1\insrsid1517068 viva voce}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 evidence or otherwise satisfies the court that he has a good defence to th e action on the merits, or discloses such facts as may be deemed sufficient to entitle him to defend. The defendant must show cause against the plaintiffs application for summary judgment and when this is sought to be done through an affidavit in opposit i on, as it usually is, such affidavit should deal specifically with the plaintiff s claim an affidavit; it should state clearly and concisely what the defence is and what facts are relied on to support it. It was significant, in our judgment, that the defe ndant made neither comment nor submission upon the plaintiff's claim and yet the defendant expected the court a }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ai\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \i\cf1\insrsid1517068 quo}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 to have detected, by assumption and implication, some sort of defence. The defence contended for in this case is, in our opinion, decidedly nebulous and shadowy and we are therefore unable to say that any such defence of dismissal arose so as to entitle the defendant to leave to defend on that score.\line \par It was Mr Ndhlovu's further submission that the defendants' affidavit in opposition was badly drafted but that this factor should not have disentitled the defendant to leave to defend the action. In his sub mission the contract and the letters referred to in the plaintiff's own affidavit indicated that further inquiry at a trial, was required in this case. He relied on }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ai\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \i\cf1\insrsid1517068 Miles v Bull}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 (1), where it was suggested that it sometimes happens that the defendant may n ot be able to pin - point any precise issue or question in dispute which ought to be tried but that leave to defend should be given if it is apparent that, for some other reason, there ought to be a trial. Our Order 13 Rule 1 is still couched in terms sim i lar to the former Order 14 Rule 1 of the English Rules: See 1985 White Book Order 143 - 49. Our Order 13 Rule 1 requires the defendant at the very least to disclose such facts as may be deemed sufficient to entitle him to defend generally. The new terms i n the English order have introduced he element that leave to defend should be given if the defendant satisfies the court "that there ought for some other reason to be a trial". A number of examples of "some other reasons" are given by the White Book, none of which arise in this case. In }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ai\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \i\cf1\insrsid1517068 Miles v Bull}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 (1), which has been cited, a wife in possession of a matrimonial home obtained leave to defend an action for possession by a purchaser who bought the house from the husband under a contract which acknowledged tha t she was in possession and may have certain rights. In that case, a further inquiry was found to be necessary to ascertain whether the sale was a sham intended to deprive her of possession so that, even if she had no arguable defence against the purchase r 's action, there "ought for some other reason to be atria!". In the said case the wife had specifically raised the question of the sale being a sham which, under the appropriate statute, would afford her a ground for relief. The defendant in our case neit her disclosed any facts which could be deemed sufficient to entitle them to defend nor put forward "some other reason" within the English rule. The arguments in this regard could not, in our considered judgment, be entertained. \line \par p108 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \par }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 This brings us to th e counterclaims. Mr Ndhlovu informed the court, quite properly so in our view, that the only counterclaim which appeared to have some merit in it, and which he was pursuing, concerned the alleged secret receipt of a sum of K10,000 "for unknown services", a llegedly rendered by the plaintiff to a third party. This allegation was denied by both the plaintiff and the third party on affidavit. It is common ground that, in terms of our Order 28, as read with the English Orders 14 and 15, a counterclaim would ent i tle a defendant to either a stay of the plaintiff s judgment or leave to defend to the extent only of such counterclaim pending its trial. In a suitable case, the court is at liberty to disallow the raising of a counterclaim in the plaintiff's action in w h ich event the defendant must commence his own independent action if he is minded to pursue such cross - claim. In this case, Mr Sikota has argued that the defendant did not raise a valid counter-claim when reference was made to unspecified and "unknown se r vices" both the rendering of, and the payment for, which were denied at first hand by the plaintiff and the third party. We agree that the counterclaim was singularly lacking in visible merit. For that reason, we had no difficulty in coming to the conclus ion that it should be disallowed under the plaintiffs action, leaving it to the defendant to commence his own action if he feels able to improve upon its presentation to the courts as a viable cause of action.\line \par It was for the foregoing reasons that we dismissed the appeal, with costs to be taxed in default of agreement.\line \tab \tab \tab \par Appeal dismissed}{\rtlch\fcs1 \ab\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \b\cf1\insrsid1517068 \cell }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 }{\rtlch\fcs1 \ab\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \b\cf1\insrsid1517068 \cell }\pard \ltrpar \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\intbl\wrapdefault\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \ab\af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \b\cf1\insrsid1517068 \trowd \irow0\irowband0\lastrow \ltrrow \ts11\trgaph10\trleft-10\trftsWidth1\trpaddl10\trpaddr10\trpaddfl3\trpaddfr3\tblind0\tblindtype3 \clvertalt\clbrdrt\brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth9647\clshdrawnil \cellx9637\clvertalt\clbrdrt \brdrnone \clbrdrl\brdrnone \clbrdrb\brdrnone \clbrdrr\brdrnone \cltxlrtb\clftsWidth3\clwWidth500\clshdrawnil \cellx10137\row }\pard \ltrpar\ql \li0\ri0\nowidctlpar\wrapdefault\faauto\rin0\lin0\itap0 {\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \cf1\insrsid1517068 \line _________________________________________}{\rtlch\fcs1 \af0 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid1517068 \par }}