ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 131, 4 June 1901, Page 8

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(From Qur London Correspondent.)

LONDON, April 25 THE MOKAU ESTATE.

The revision of the findings of the Discipline Committee of the Law Society in the matter of the investigation of Mr Joshua ("Mokau ) Jones's relations with his whilom solicitor. Mr Flower, by Justices Channel] and Phillimore, occupied those legal lights a couple of days this week. Their judgment will give little satisfaction to the plaintiff in the case. The Discipline Committee, it will be remembered, -whitewashed Flower. In effect they said: "In some things this solicitor has erred, but as he believed he had a right- to do thr, wrong things he did we acquit him of professional misconduct within the meaning of the Solicitors' Act, 1838." Mr Jones's appeal against this finding came before the High Court on, Monday, when Mr Lawson Walton, X.C.. and Mr Norman Craig,, appeared for the complainant; and Mr Gill, K.C. and Mr J. G. Wood for the solicitor. Mr Holl .ma represented the Incorporated Law Society. The whole story of the dealings of Jones with Flower and other people in relation to the Mokau estates was waded through and at the conclusion of the arguments Mr Justice Channell, after 'commenting strongly on some of the facts disclosed, said the question was what, in the circumstances, the Court ought to do? He and his learned brother had come to the conclusion that it would be right in this case to order the solicitor to pay the costs of the proceedings, including the costs of the complainant, but that it was not a case which required, in the very special circumstances, viz., the solicitor, in their view, coming into it almost inadvertently —that they should visit himwith any further disciplinary punishment.

Mr Justice Phillimore was of opinion that the solicitor w-as guilty of a certain amount of professional misconduct, but it was quite sufficient to visit him with somewhat heavy

costs. So after all these years Jones has Jailed to bring his erstwhile solicitor "to book" in the manner he desired. If Mr Jones is wise .iie will accept the Court's finding, drop all further attempts to' punish the other party, and set to work to make the best of that "equity of redemption" which is apparently the only tangible hold he has upon the Mokau Estates. The redemption of the estates can apparently be effected at a cost of about £12,000, and as they are said to be. worth money that can only be expressed in six figures Jones should J.e able .to raise that sum yvithout

great difficulty, for apparently many people with money here share his views as to the value of the I-okau Estate.