STRONG FEELING IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 18, 21 July 1909, Page 4

STRONG FEELING IN CHRISTCHURCH.

OPINIONS OF LAWYERS. [BX TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL ±0 THE TOST.] CHEISTCHURCH, This Day. There is strong feeling amongst lawyers in Christchurch .in regard to the changes mentioned by Dr. Findlay in connection with tho SI amp and Deeds Departments. Mr. Beswick, president of the Law Society, said that there was no doubt in legai'd to the inconvenience that would be caused, and more work, and therefore more expense to the public, would be caused by having to go to the Deeds Office to have duties assessed, and then to the Stamp Office to have the deeds stamped. Generally, Post Office officials, if not overworked, at any rate had their time fully occupied in regard to deceased persons' estates. It would be most inconvenient to ,send papers direct to Wellington and to do all the negotiations in answer to the requisition by correspondence. (Questions of duty would have to be decided in Wellington, and in many cases it would be necessary to employ agents in that city to interview tho Commissioner's Department. That,, together with the additional correspondence, of course, would entail more expenses for clients. Other lawyers who have their, opinions agree with Mr. Beswick. They say that while the Government might derive a doubtful benefit from the change, the large' quantity of correspondence which will be caused will add largely to the cost of winding up estates. Lawyers have to file accounts for the purpose of - assessing stamp duty, a/id these accounts contain schedules of tho properties involved. "You can imagine." one lawyer saic?, "what trouble- and expense will be involved when all business connected with these things has to be done by correspondence. In Christclmrch, at present, we have a Deputy-Commissioner of 'Stamps, who is an experienced officer, who knows local conditions, and with whom we can discuss questions verbally, ascertain his views, and make out our documents accordingly. If the chango is brought about, a long time will be "required to get the accounts passed 'through the Stamp Office. The duty will not be decided by the Government until the accounts are passed, and the .result will be that a much longer time ,than at present will elapse before the payment of the duty to the Government. In many cases local knowledge on the part of the officer in charge of the department is absolutely necessary. Lar<;o "estates, valued at from £15,000 to £20,000, and much more, are often dealt with in Christchurch, and if the utmost care is not taken, anxl expert local knowledge is not brought to bear, the Government will lose thousands of pounds a year." j Several lawyers are afraid that the I proposal may later on lead to an at- | tempt to have even probate business done in Wellington, and all apparently regard the changes as veiy undesirable.