The plaintiff seeks to have the defendant Harvard Brewing Company, hereinafter referred to as the defendant, specifically perform an alleged agreement whereby the plaintiff was appointed an exсlusive distributor in a certain district of merchandise manufactured by the defendant, and also to recover damages alleged to have been incurred by reason of the alleged wrongful termination of said agreement by thе defendant. The relief originally sought on account of alleged misrepresentations by the defendant and discriminatory practices against the plaintiff is no longer an issue. The allegations in respect to these mаtters are not found to have been sustained. The suit was referred to a master, who states in his report that “his findings of fact, upon which” his “ultimate findings have been made, are based upon the subsidiary facts reported”.
The master fоund that the plaintiff, a corporation organized on June 24, 1937, took over a business that had been conducted by a partnership under the name of Phoenix Spring Company. In February, 1935, this partnership was appointed as “exclusive drought distributor of Harvard products for a certain district.” Provisions were made for the terms of credit upon which merchandise was to be sold to the partnership, and, thereafter, additional sales territory was assignеd to it. On November 23, 1936, the defendant’s president wrote the following letter to the partnership: “Gentlemen: It has been brought to my attention that rumors are being spread in the field, regarding the Harvard Brewing Co., to the effect that, sooner or later, we will withdraw the agency from you. These statements are untrue, and I will [sic] like to go on record and state that we have positively no intention of withdrawing the Harvard agency from you. I am glad to offer you a contract, to assure you that your Harvard franchise shall be
Under date of December 10, 1936, the partnership received the following communication that was signed in behalf of the defendant by its vice president: “Gentlemen: It is with great pleasure that we confirm your appointment as a selected case goods and drought goods distributor for the cities and towns listed on the attached sheet. Please sign and return this copy to us immediately. The succеss of our new sales policy is dependent upon exclusive case goods and drought goods sales rights. It is of the utmost importance that you respect territorial boundary lines at all times to insure your just share of profit, аnd to remain a Harvard distributor. Numerous distributors have been eliminated, in order to insure staple retail case goods prices. Please be advised that you cannot sell below our established retail prices. You will notе an increase in our drought goods prices, and a decrease in our case goods prices, and we are enclosing herewith our price list, as of December 14, 1936. The increase in drought amounts to 50¿ per half. Thе ever-increasing acceptance of Harvard bottle goods has made appreciable production savings possible. We are now ready to pass these savings on to our distributors. Reduced bottle goods prices will increase your volume and ours. Increased volume will bring Increased Profits to us all. We have great faith in your continued cooperation, and will do all we can to make the coming season a boom year for Harvard products, in bottles and in barrels.” It seems that the following was attached to, or was a part of this communication: “December 14, 1936 I agree not to sell Harvard case goods below the establishеd retail prices, as shown on the attached sheet, and I acknowledge that
Thereafter, the defendant made changes in the territory previously assigned, taking away several towns and one city. The plaintiff’s treasurer objected to these changes and asked to have the territory restored, but it was not. He made no claim, however, that the defendant did nоt have the right to make such changes as it saw fit. There is a statement that any reference in the report to the plaintiff will be understood as “ . . . [the treasurer] acting for and speaking for the plaintiff.”
In the fall of 1940, arrangements were made for the giving of a bond or “guarantee” for the payment of the plaintiff’s outstanding account. The question arose as to what assurance would be given to the signer of the bond as to the continuation of the territory that was then allotted to the plaintiff. “The defendant, thru its President, said that he had no intention of taking away the territory as long as he was satisfied with the financial set up and the volume of business and that the job was being well done,” and it was arranged that if a bond or “guarantee” were given, then if the territory assigned to the plaintiff was either terminated or materially changed by the defendant, the bond and “guarantee” would likewise be terminated. The plaintiff’s treasurer had knowledge of “that provision in the bond and guarantee.”
For reasons that will hereinafter appear, it is unnecessary to recite at this time the findings of the master as to what took place thereаfter, except to state that on November 14, 1941, the defendant notified the plaintiff by letter that it was “withdrawing . . . [its] franchise from your Company, as of November 30, 1941.”
The plaintiff seasonably filed ten objections to the master’s repоrt, and also a motion to recommit the report, which was denied. The report was confirmed by; interlocutory
The plaintiff contends that the letter of November 23, 1936, is а part of the contract between the parties, and that the “contract” of December 14, 1936, “read in the light of and together with” this letter, shows a clear intention and purpose by the parties to have a contract of a “permanent” rather than of a “ terminable at will ’ ’ nature. The important question for determination is what the contract between the parties was.
It is a general rule that when several writings evidence a single contract between the parties, they will be read together in order to arrive at an interpretation of the contract. Harding v. Broadway National Bank of Chelsea,
In the communication of December 10, 1936, the words, “we confirm your appointment,” appear. If thеse words refer to the appointment that had previously been in force, the duration of that appointment is made no more certain or extensive. It is not contended by the plaintiff that prior to December 10, 1936, there was any appointment that was not terminable at will. If these words refer to what may have taken place at a discussion of “our future mutual relations, in detail,” and there is no express finding that there was any such discussion, thе fact remains that no definite term is expressed in the communication. “This agreement was executed by the plaintiff” and sent to the defendant, and, from what has been said, we think it follows that the partnership must be held to have been satisfied with it.
The agreement between the parties must be construed as one that was terminable at will by either party upon reasonable notice. Emerson v. Ackerman,
The conclusion here reached is not adversely affectеd by any questions raised by the plaintiff’s ten exceptions to the master’s report or by the denial of its motion to recommit. Six of these exceptions relate to the failure of the master to make certain findings. The evidеnce is not reported, and no error in this respect appears on the face of the report. Carleton & Hovey Co. v. Burns,
The master found that a reasonable notice of termination was given.
Interlocutory decree affirmed.
Final decree affirmed with costs.