GRANT OF LICENCE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30688, 2 March 1965, Page 18

GRANT OF LICENCE

Institute Fails

In Appeal

Mr Justice Wilson in the Supreme Court yesterday dismissed an appeal by the Can-terbury-Westland branch of the Real Estate Institute against a magistrate's decision to grant Williams Property Development (Canterbury), Ltd., through its secretary, Basil Samuel Williams, a real estate licence. The action, described as the first of its type in New Zealand, was heard last week. The appellant objected to the granting of the licence on the ground that Williams, the secretary of the respondent company and the person who was nominated by it as its sole salesman, had not reached a suitable standard of fitness to carry on the business of a real estate agent in that he had not passed the examination prescribed by the rules of the institute and lacked practical experience in that he had not had at least two years’ practical experience in real estate agency work. His Honour, in his reserved judgment, held that the magistrate was entitled to use his discretion to dispense with these requirements. As there was nothing to show that, in exercising his discretion in favour of the respondent, he proceeded on a wrong principle or that any injustice resulted, there were no grounds for interfering with his decision. The respondent was allowed costs of £lO 10s.

Mr W. G. P. Cuningham appeared for the appellant and Mr J. R. Woodward for the respondent.

Not Guilty Of Indecency

A jury in the Supreme Court yesterday found Lawrence George Dell, aged 34, a gas serviceman (Mr P. G. S. Penlington, with him Mr G. R. Joyce) not guilty on a charge of having obscenely exposed himself in Tuam street on November 18. Mr Justice Macarthur discharged Dell.