SIR GEORGE CLIFFORD’S ESTATE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22136, 14 December 1933, Page 10

SIR GEORGE CLIFFORD’S ESTATE

ASSESSMENT OF DEATH DUTIES GIFT TO PRESENT BARONET. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 13. .Did the late Sir George Clifford at any lime before his death make a gift of the whole of his interest in the historic Flaxbourne estate to' his son, the present baronet, Sir Charles Clifford? This was the main question before Mr Justice Ostler to-day, when the trustees and executors of the will contended that the action of the Commissioner of Stamp Duties in including in the assessment of the estate of £570,647 the principal and interest owing under the mortgages on this gift to Sir Charles was wrong. The respondents contended that no such gift had been made by Sir George, and if it were made it was not completed, and in any case the assessment was correct. The question for the opinion 'of the court was whether the sums were rightly included in the amount upon which death duty was assessed in respect of the estate. Outlining the history of the case, counsel went back nearly 60 years, when the late Sir Francis Weld and the late Sir Charles Clifford (grandfather of .the present baronet) set up as partners in the Flaxbourne estate of 60,000 acres. Sir George Clifford died on April 17, 1930, leaving the estate, the final balance of which had been provisionally assessed at £570,647. Included in each assessment was his interest in certain land in Marlborough, known as the Flaxbourne estate. The appellants alleged that some ‘time in 1920 Sir George made a gift of his interest in the whole of this estate to Sir Charles, and such gift -was completed. Decision was reserved.