IMPORTANT CASE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 2 October 1925, Page 6

IMPORTANT CASE.

UNDER LEGITIMATION ACT. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. The Full Court, consisting of Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice), and Judges Sim, Adams, Reed, and Ostler, were engaged this morning in hearing an originating summons to determine an important question under the Legitimation Act ol 1921. No names were mentioned. The facts were that X died intestate in 1920, leaving an estate of £12,000, being childless when liis wife died in 1906. In January, 1913, he had an illegitimate female child, and in May, 1916 married the mother of the child. Three months later a second child, a male, was born. The female was not legitimated in the lifetime of the deceased, but legitimation was registered by the mother under the Legitimation Act in 1921, after the death of the father. The Public Trustee, as administrator of the estate, is in doubt as to whether the female child is entitled to participate equally with the male child. The question is important, as in administration a child legitimated subsequently to death of the father may have a material effect of postponing the distribution of the estate. Mr Kelly appeared for the Publio Trustee, Mr Haggard as guardian of the female child. , . Argument was heard and decision reserved.