NOT TO OLD AT 100

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3264, 6 February 1926, Page 3

NOT TO OLD AT 100

TO LOOK AFTER OWN AFFAIRS. At the Supremo Court at Palmerston North yesterday Esther Southee, of Pending, married woman, petitioned for a protection order in the estate of Henry Thomas Wilkinson Southee, of Feilding, settler, and further asked that the Public Trustee be appointed manager of the estate so long as respondent lived. Mr. Ongley appeared for Mrs. Southee and Mr. H. R. Cooper for her aged husband, who is just under one hundred years of age. The providing Judge (His Honour Mr. Justice MacGregor) refused an application to take the hearing in chambers, pointing out that that course would not necessarily prevent the press from publishing the evidence, as it was quite a common thing in cases so taken in Wellington for full publication to be made. An “in camera” hearing would be quite a different thing, but as the file did not disclose any special circumstances, afio case was ordered to be taken In open court, His Honour observing the matter of publication of details could best be left to the discretion of the press. The grounds of the petition we#'C that by reason of age, physical and mental infirmities, respondent was wholly unable to manage his affairs and was allegedly subject to undue influence in. the disposition of his estate by two sons of a previous marriage; further, that, he had disposed of some of the estate and petitioner had cause to believe that he might be coerced into disposing of the whole of his property.

The answer was that respondent was quite capable of looking after his own affairs. His Honour, after hearing legal argument, said he was not satisfied a strong enough case had been made to justify interference with the personal liberty of respondent. The petition was, accordingly, dismissed, but without costs. t