INQUIRERS' CORNER

NZ Truth, Issue 1203, 20 December 1928, Page 20

INQUIRERS' CORNER

£iiiMii!imiiimmimmiiimimiiii i imniuitiiO' « „ J . . _a i l, niM-rrDnn cr T er t> » » tn liitu iitnttmn mm iiiMniimiiHinmniiiiinmij |g' iiimmiiimiimiiimimi imiuimtiiiiiu. w OndUCted by "INTERPRETER • nimiuiiiimimmmimnm miiiiiiiiiiiii"""*

|| Answers will be published as early as' possible after receipt of || • questions and so far as possible m order of rotation of receipt. || All letters must be written m ink and be addressed "Interpreter, || < c/o "Truth," Manners Street, Wellington. While we take no || responsibility for any answer given m these columns, every 11 endeavor will be made to see that they are absolutely correct. 11 Answers to. legal queries must be accepted merely as a || guide as to whether or not it is worth while going to the exit pense of placing matters inquired about iti the* hands of a || solicitor for further action. * . . || No replies can be made by post. No anonymous inquiries || will be answered, and inquiries of this nature will not be pre- || served. Frivolities and questions not of general interest will || not be answered.

= tiiiuiiniitiHUHiiniinnitiuiiiiiiini(ni>unitiiiiiiiiintitttiiMiMiiiii<MiiiiHiinitMnii:iMiiiiiiiiiini HOUSING AND RATES. Q.:-'A tenant takes a furnished apartment at so much per week and pays weekly m advance. What notice is the tenant obliged to give 'on leaving? — "R.M." (Auckland). A.; One week, to expire on a weekly day of the tenancy. * Q.: Some years ago I purchased a vacant section. I have never received any demand for i*ates. Do I remain liable for back rates?; — "Anxious" (Ellerslie). A.: You are liable for all rates unless they have been due for three years or more. MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. Q.: My wife deserted me because I did not tell her the truth about certain business transactions. (1) Can I petition for 'restitution of conjugal rights? (2) If an order is made and she 1 failto comply with It, how long have I to wait before I can petition for divorce? (3) Am I compelled to maintain her and our child? (4) If I entered into a deed of separation how much should I have to allow her and the child out of my wage of £5 per week? — "Aspro" (Petone). A.: (1) Yes. (2) Usually 14 clays. (3) You must support the child, but m the absence of special circumstances your wife has forfeited her 7 right to maintenance. (4) This depends entirely on agreement. Q.: (1) May a divorced person remarry- before the decree is made absolute? (2) If not what is the result of such a marriage? — "Pakeha" (Wellington.) , A.: (1) No. (2) 'The marriage will be s void and the parties to it guilty of bigamy. Q.: (1) Holding a mutual deed of separation since November, 1925, from my wife — the allotted three years being almost up, what are the first steps I take re . obtaining' a divorce ? (2) I s there anything to prevent me securing a divorce after three years' mutual separation? (3) May I (after the divorce is through) publicly become engaged to another girl before the divorce is made absolute? — "Eager to Know" (Hamilton). A.: (1) See a solicitor. (2) No, provided your wife does, not defend and show that the separation was due to your own misconduct. (3) Yes, but probably as you are still man-ied the contract to marry would not be, actionable. Q.: My husband and I are mutually separated. Would the fact that we correspond with each other prejudice us m divorce proceedings? — "Jonathan" (Wellington). A.: No, you are still separated although you correspond; friendship 'is not matrimony. . Q.: I left my husband of my own free will eleven years ago". Can I now obtain a divorce? — "Anxious" (Murchisoh). * . A.: No. . Q.: I have not hpard of my husband oi" his whereabouts since the beginning of 1918. Could I marry again without committing bigamy? (2) Could I marry m maiden name or would I have to use my married name? (3) The marriage would take place at the registry ofnca. Would 1 1 need to take two witnesses or would v offlce have two? And would we need to get license the day before or would . same '. day do? — "Anxious" (Papatoetoe). , A.: (1) Yes. (2) You can use either name. (3) -You will need witnesses. The license must be procured previously.

WAGES AND PENSIONS. Q.: Will you kindly inform me what is the full widows' pension for widow and two children under 14 yearg ■of age, per week?— "M.M." (Wellington). A.: -30/- per week. LEGAL. Q.: My mother is very wealthy and my father is dead. I am one of eight brothers and sisters. All my mother's money has been left to the other. seven. Have I any redress?— "Z.Z.Z." (Raglan). A.: Tou can apply, before the estate is wound up, under the provisions of the Family Protection Act, to have provision made for you out of the estate, but you must show some special grounds. It is not sufficient merely that you have been left out; your" mother may have had excellent reasons. Q.: Is ' grandfather, liable for maintenance of his son's children? The son has had an order made against him but cannot be found. — "Taranaki Reader" (Inglewood). A.: Yes. « GENERAL., ' Q.: Tennis balls are sometimes hit from my court on to my neighbor's i property. He refuses to allow us to get them, and he also refuses to hand them back. Is he justified m keeping them?— "X.Y.Z." (Timaru). A.: He is' under no obligation to allow you to enter on his property, but he is bound to return the balls to you. If he refuses you can sue for the return of the balls or their Value. Q.: As my employer is unable to pay me my wages I want an agreement that m the event of bankruptcy I can claim a motor truck as my wages. What steps must I take? — "Black Cat" (Rangitikei). A.: Employ a solicitor to draw and register a chattel * security over the truck to secure all wages now and henceforth to become due. Unless a fraudulent preference such a security will hold .good m bankruptcy, as to all wages to be earned after the date of the security is given, but as to past wage 3it will be void if your employer goes bankrupt within four months of the date of the security. . ■ Q.: (1) I am a white man who was adopted as a baby by Maoris. Should I vote m the Parliamentary elections as a Maori or an European? (2) How can I be enrolled? — "B.B." (Raetihi). A.: (1) European. (2) Apply to the local registrar of electors. Q.: (1) What are second cousins? (2) r I am now 21 years of age and have an account m the post office savings bank.' My father has control of this as it was opened when I was very young and his signature seems to be the one , recorded m their books as agent for me. Can I now withdraw the money Avithout his permission? — "Anxious Constant Reader" (Mossburn). I A.: (1) Second cousins are the children of first cousins, who are, m turn, the children of brothers and sisters. Thus if A has two sons, B and C who, m turn, have sons respectively, D and E, and D has a son, F, while E has a son, G, F and B are second cousins. (2) Yes. Q.: Can an unnaturalized alien acquire real property m New Zealand?— "Enquirer" (Napier). A.: Yes. Under ■an Act of last year even persons whose country was at war with His Majesty during the Great War, are entitled to hold such property.

Perfectly Valid

Q.: An old man remarries. Can he leave everything to his second wife and cut the whole family but of his will, leaving them not even a keepsake? — "In Doubt" (Petone). A.: The will however unjust will be perfectly valid and will operate subject only to the neglected members of the family, to claim under the provisions of the Family Protection Act 1908 to have provision made for them out of the 'estate if they can show adequate grounds.