BARLTROP'S BOTHER

NZ Truth, Issue 770, 7 August 1920, Page 5

BARLTROP'S BOTHER

I Tries Again for Admission as Solicitor Why the Law Socieiy Objected. At a full sitting of the Supreme : Court on Tuesday, John Edward j Barltrop, of Feilding, moved, per his counsel, Mr. D. M. Findlay, to be admitted to the bar as a solicitor., ! The Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) | and Justices Herdman, Chapman and j Sim were on the bench. j Barltrop made a similar application j some five years ago, which was suci cessfully opposed by the Law Society, j but on Tuesday the said society did j not oppose the matter further, being i of the opinion that appellant had been j sufficiently punished for his alleged unprofessional acts. The story of Barltrop's alleged unorthodox conduct dates back to 1914. He was- then 4 a law clerk m the employ of Alfred Richmond, solicitor, Feilding. In that year Lawyer Richmond died and it is alleged that Barltrop, who had »been m Richmond's employ for over nineteen years, during the last two or threo of which he had had complete control of the business, took over the said business without authority. It was also alleged that Barltrop had canvassed his late employer's clients to that end, and inf duced them to sign orders m his favor to uplift deeds that were m Richmond's j office. It was also alleged against Barltrop that he had employed irre-

g-ular practices iii regard to his employer's trust account, and had paid certain moneys into his private account. It was contended that Barltrop had done this not with any dishonest intention, but solely as a short-cut to get the business together. With the exception of £200, which Barltrop claimed had been put m his own trust, the whole of these trust moneys had been drawn out again within a short period. '' As the court had no further documents before it than those which were produced at the previous application m 1915, on which occasion Barltrop had allowed judgment to go against him by default, it was decided to adjourn the application to enable the Law Society to inquire into appellant's present character, business, etc. An affidavit filed by Barltrop m 1919 showed that he was then a licensed land broker at Feilding, secretary to the local Oddfellows' Lodge, secretary and treasurer of Feilding Chamber of Commerce, and had attained his majority m the volunteers and had received the highest possibledecorations for such service. He was rejected for service during the war, owing to having reached the age limit. :