A SINGULAR CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4325, 27 March 1884, Page 4

A SINGULAR CASE.

What promises to-be a case of a very extraordinary character will, we understand, probabiy come before the Supremo Court at Now Plymouth in a short time. It will be remembered that a year or two ago a Mr Halse, a solicitor in largo practice at New Plymouth,' committed suicide, leaving, it is well known, his affairs in the greatest confusion. His defalcations were said to be about £20,000. A short time after his death a conveyance purporting to have bsr ; n executed in his office was set aside by the Ur^reme Court, aa it was clearly proved that- -be signature was a forgery. Other cases of various kinds in connection with and arising through his alleged misfeasances have from time to time come before the Court, and the present case, which, we believe, rests on an alleged forgery of a deed of conveyance of land, will probably roveal some curious and disquieting information as to the manner in which a solicitor's business may be conducted. It is said, so far as we can learn, that some years ago a gentleman died in New Plymouth intestate, possessed of considerable landed property, which would in the ordinary course descend to his heir-at-law—the Real Estate Descent Act, 1874, not having been passed at that time. His heir-at-law, however, was then a mere boy, and his mother did not for some time trouble herself about the land.as the personalty coming to her was sufficient for her immediate wants. A few years having elapsed enquiry was made from Mr Halse, who waa the family solicitor, regarding, the land, but he evaded all direct interrogations, and asserted that everything was in working order. Sometime after Mr Halse's death, suspicion having been aroused in the minds of the friends of the deceased's widow, a search was made in the Registry office, when it was .discovered that the land had been dealt with by mortgage, and subsequent sale of the equity of redemption. The young man who claims to be the rightful heir to the property thereupon instructed Messrs Burton and Napier, solicitors, of this city, to take the necessary steps to assert his claim to the land, and that firm have been making the necessary investigations preparatory to taking action. The case will ] robably be tried before a jury—should no compromise be tfT-f!< .1 in tTio meantime between the claimant aud the present holders of the land, and Mr Napier will proceed to New Plymouth as counsel for the plaintiff.