LAW QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 51

LAW QUERIES.

[Answere/J by a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nev, " ■•' nil. Letters and Telegrams must be addi-osc. '' LEX," c/o Editor, Otago Witness, Duaediu.J H.-No. R- G. M. writes:—"Kindly explain the difference (if any) in the terms of sentence—viz., imprisonment for life and imprisonment for the term of one's natural life." Answer: There is no difference. S. L. V. asks:—"lf miners hold a mineral license over a certain piece of ground on a station homestead, does that entitle th'san to claim the fruit growing on the treea on their mining area, which is close to the station and in the homestead freehold 9 " Answer: No. J. T. Asks : —" (1) Can a widow sell her son a piece of freehold property with or without a house thereon, without the Government getting a cut out of it? (2) Would it have to be surveyed, and (3) go through the Lands Off'ee in this district ?"-—^—Answers: (1) No, stamp duty 7s 6d for every £SO, or part of £SO, of the consideration money) and registration fees on the conveyance are payable to the Government. (21 Yes. (3) Yes, the Land Transfer Office. Tenant writes:—"A person took a house for "12 months and paid monthly. After that term expired the tenant continued in the house, but no further agreement was entered into, the tenant still paying monthly. The tenant desires now to vacate the house. Would one week's notice be sufficient to give the landlord?"——Answer: No. A month's not-ioci in writing must be given. Subscriber writes:—"l bought a horsei from a man for £l4—half for cash and half in coal. I am delivering the coal and have delivered £4 worth, and have promised to pay the cash within a week. But h'a threatens in spite of me.—(l) Can he do it? (2) Who is the owner of the horse now?" Answers: (1) No. (2) You are. Thirty Years' Subscriber writes:—"ln an argument a person tells me that if he had an income of 14s per week he is entitled to 6s per week from the old-age pension fund, or enough to make his income £1 per week. Is that so?"— — Answer: As the old-age pension is £26 a year diminished by £1 for every complete pound of income above £34 per annum, your friend would receive 9s 2d per week, approximately. Interested (Napier) writes:—"Kindly inform me through your paper how the case .'Trustees v. Bishop Nevill for £IO,OOO, wife's dowry,' was settled." Answer: The judgment of the English Court of 'Appeal was in favour of Bishop Nevill. The full text of the judgment was published in the Otago Witness of April 22, 19C8. H. B. writes:—" One part of my boundary fence runs alongside a road line belonging to the Wallace ' County Council. There is a small ditch through the fence on the' road line side. Can I compel the County Council to go half cost of deepening'the said ditch? The road is in its natural state. As to the fall of the ground : the water comes from the hill over the road line into my paddock. The said ditch has plenty of fall along the fence to its outlet." Answer: No. Nemo writes:—"l have a piece of land (freehold), and a neighbour has leased a piece of land alongside. He wants a boundary fence between us, to which I am agreeable. He has told me so, and has started to erect same without giving me written notice of the kind of fence or any particulars whatever. He simply savs he will put up the fence and compel me to pay half, (1) Can he proceed and erect the fence without my permission? (2) Must he give notice to erect a boumdarv fence? (3) Can I be com- ' pelled to pay half if he erects it without consulting me? (4) What is my best course under these circumstances? (5) Suppose I was a lessee instead of an owner under t-he&si circumstances and we agreed about the fence, am I liable for half-cost or 10 per cent, per year if we were both on fivei-year leases? Answers: (1) Yes. (2) Yes, if he wishes to compel vou to pay half the cost. (3) No. (4) Do nothing. (5) Half cost.