Opinion ID: 1792802
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: cross bill

Text: After both sides had rested, the trial judge granted a peremptory instruction in favor of appellant, denying the appellee warehouseman reimbursement for inspection fee charges in the sum of $1,506.99. This was alleged to be due him for money paid to a government agency for an inspection required by the government prior to purchase. The appellee-warehouseman based this claim on an alleged custom requiring a warehouseman to take care of the product placed in storage in the warehouse. It is contended that this claim is similar to a claim for services in protecting stored goods. Appellee admitted, however, there was no agreement on the part of the Mississippi Rice Growers Association to pay this charge, and admitted that this charge was not anticipated at the time the contract was made to store the rice. The rule that a warehouseman is entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable sums expended to conserve and protect stored property is not applicable in the instant case. This rule does not apply where the evidence shows that the expenditure was made without the consent of the owner and was not made under the customary trade usage for the protection of the stored property. Farmers' Union Warehouse Co. v. Sturdivant, 127 Ark. 453, 192 S.W. 377 (1917). The trial court was therefore correct in denying the claim of inspection charges paid by the warehouseman. We conclude that the judgment of the trial court was correct and should be affirmed. Affirmed. ETHRIDGE, C.J., and JONES, BRADY and SMITH, JJ., concur.