LEGAL INQUIRY COLUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 186, 8 August 1935, Page 23

LEGAL INQUIRY COLUMN.

(By BARRISTER-AT-LAW.) [Letters of inquiry will be answered every week in this column. Aβ far as possible they will be dealt with in the order in which they are receiver!, and replies will be inserted with the least possible delay.]

FIFTY.—The parents are not liable for the damage, and cannot be compelled to make any contribution at all towards the expense. POINT D'APPUI. —You areobviously not financially able to contribute to your mother's maintenance, and It would be idle of your brother to sue you. You on the other' hand have every reason to expect your brother to aseist you in maintaining your mother. My advice is to keep her where she is and to compel your brother to pay maintenance. ANNOYED. —The local by-laws doubtless regulate the position of poultry yards. Your other question I cannot answer because I have no Idea of the topography of the locality. If you could forward a sketch plan showing the slope of the land and position of the drains, and repeat your questions I could advise you. FENCER. —(1) The wall is merely a fence, and you may give notice under the Fencing Act to your neighbour requiring him to contribute towards the cost of repairs or re-erection. Your notices must comply with the Act. (2) lam afraid that you have acquiesced in the use of your material for the fence, and it must now be regarded as joint property. You will accordingly have to pay one half of the cost of reerection even if the old material is übetl.

PIANO.—The reduction, if any, would be quite small and could not be more than £5. As you have not kept to the contract in full you would probably do more harm than good by raising the point. The interest which you should be charged is 20 per cent loss than what would have been charged if the agreement had been made in January, 1930, and that may or may not be less than you are paying. MANGERE. —The mere fact of marriage does not alter your pension. If, however, your husband's earnings or assets are above the minimum allowed, your pension will be affected. MATER. — (1) You may petition for divorce at once. (2) and (3) In the first place apply to your husband. If he will not or cannot assist, you may be permitted to proceed as a pauper. For this purpose you should consult your solicitor, who will doubtless make the application for you, and, if it is successful, will proceed with thn dH-orce without fee except a nominal one for office expenses. ANXIOUS. —First cousins may marry. DOUBLY DUPED.—Your remedy is to sue. If there are many others who have been similarly treated it may pay you to got in early. On the other hand you may be throwing away money, for the man may not be worth powder and shot. For the amount involved I should be inclined to let the matter drop. MORTGAGOR.—The Court has no power to reduce the principal. It can remit arrears of interest, and also reduce future interest. Yon will have difficulty in securing relief except upon terms that you pay the full interest or the present rental value, whichever is the lower. You should apply for relief if a notice is given calling up the mortgage, and in the meantime you should Day regularly all you can. LICENSE.—It does not follow automatically that children noi in the country are included in the naturalisation granted to the parent. The parent Fhould request that the name of any child being n minor should be included in the certificate. SPINALB.—The boy is liable to wages tax and levy upon Uβ attaining the age of 20.