Nova Scotia Power Corp. v. Colt Developments Ltd., (1976) 23 N.S.R.(2d) 26 (TD)

• Judge: Dubinsky, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: May 11, 1976
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (1976), 23 N.S.R.(2d) 26 (TD)

N.S. Power v. Colt Dev. Ltd. (1976), 23 N.S.R.(2d) 26 (TD);

    32 A.P.R. 26

MLB headnote and full text

Nova Scotia Power Corporation v. Colt Developments Limited

Indexed As: Nova Scotia Power Corp. v. Colt Developments Ltd.

Nova Scotia Supreme Court

Trial Division

Dubinsky, J.

May 11, 1976.

Summary:

This case arose out of the plaintiff's claim in contract against the defendant for the price of temporarily removing electrical wires over a highway. The plaintiff claimed an amount of $1,894.80 for the work, but the defendant claimed that the plaintiff agreed to a fixed price of $800.00. The plaintiff brought an action against the defendant for its price.

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Trial Division, allowed the plaintiff's action for $1,894.80.

Evidence - Topic 2401

Special modes of proof - Presumptions - Unfavourable inference from failure to call available evidence - The Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Trial Division, drew an unfavourable inference from a party's failure to call a material witness - See paragraphs 5 to 13.

Cases Noticed:

Tidy v. Battman, [1933] All E.R. 259, refd to. [para. 3].

Minister of Transport for the Province of Ontario v. Canadian General Insurance Company, [1972] S.C.R. 234, refd to. [para. 3].

Royal Trust v. T.T.C., [1935] S.C.R. 671; [1935] 3 D.L.R. 420, appld. [para. 7].

Murray v. City of Saskatoon, [1952] 2 D.L.R. 499, appld. [para. 8].

Williams v. Ricklemann (1956), 292 S.W.(2d) 276, folld. [para. 10].

Kaytor v. Lion's Driving Range Limited (1962), 40 W.W.R.(N.S.) 173, refd to. [para. 11].

Barker v. McQuahe et al. (1964), 49 W.W.R.(N.S.) 685, refd to. [para. 11].

Safeway Wrecking Ltd. v. Dineen Construction (Atlantic) Ltd. (1972), 3 N.S.R.(2d) 493, refd to. [para. 11].

Sandison v. Rybiak et al. (1974), 39 D.L.R.(3d) 366, appld. [para. 12].

Sydney Rotary Drilling Services Limited v. Quebec Assurance Company (1975), 16 N.S.R.(2d) 233; 16 A.P.R. 233, refd to. [para. 14].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Corpus Juris Secundum, vol. 31A, s. 156(4) [para. 6].

Wigmore on Evidence (3rd Ed.), vol. 11, p. 162 et seq. [para. 9].

Counsel:

M.S. Ryan, for the plaintiff;

J.F.L. Davies and M.J. Rich, for the defendant.

This case was heard on May 7, 1976, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, before DUBINSKY, J., of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Trial Division.

On May 11, 1976, DUBINSKY, J., delivered the following judgment: