LAW QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3860, 6 March 1928, Page 48

LAW QUERIES.

(Answered by a solicitor the Supreme Ceart et New Zealand. Letters and Telegrams must b* •ddressed te "LEX,” o/e Editor, Otago Daoedia.]

"Native.”—(l) According to the statement in your letter there has been no precise agreement between A and C as to the rent payable. Before A can compel C to vacate the promises a calendar month’s notice in writing must be given. The notice given by you is not a legal one. (2) You should now give a proper legal notice to quit. "Anxious ” asks: “ (1) Can a firm to whom I owe money charge me 10 per cent, interest when they have previously charged me 8 per cent. Interest without giving me notice that they are going to do so? (2) Can they charge 10 per cent, interest? ” (1) No. (2) If an arrangement has been made to pay 10 per cent, interest, but not otherwise. "Anxious" asks: " (1) I gave £2OO to my nieoe, no security, and have received nothing. If I leave no will can this amount be deducted from her share? (2) Can I make a will and leave her and family out altogether? (3) If my wife was dead, and money was left to her by her bachelor brother, and we had no family who would get it?”- (1) Yes. (2) Yes. (3) The gift to your wife of money would lapse, and would go as part of the estate of the brother. "In Haste” asks: “(1) I have my farm leased. The lessee has to pay the labour, half of boundary fence with his neighbour, and I half of new material for part of a

fence which we agreed to repair. The two had been at work burning tussock, and while at dinner the good part caught fire. They now write me wanting a new fence. Have I to pay for material for this part? I agreed to pay for half of the new material for the bottom half. (2) The lessee was not there, but a man doing the work to bo paid by him, as he has to do half the labour. Does this make any difference? ” In this case the persons who burnt the tussock, and thus caused the injury to the fence, will require to make good the damage.

"Inquirer,” Southland, asks: "(1) An injured worker In a public hospital on comjpensatfon gets X-rayed and pays. Who claims the plate—the hospital or the worker? (2) A doctor attending an injured worker orders him to get X-rayed. Who pays—the worker or the insurance company? (3) Who claims the plate if the worker pays—the doctor or the worker? (4) (a) Can a worker on compensation, if ordered by a doctor to get X-rayed, refuse? (b) Under the Compensation Act would his weekly payments be stopped? (5) Is refusing to be X-rayed refusing medical treatment?” (1) The hospital. (2) The insurance company pays medical expenses to the extent of £l. (3) The doctor. (4) (a) No. (b) Yes. (5) Yes. Fairplay” asks: " (1) I have leased a farm, and was trying to pay it right out. There was a big mortgage on the farm which I took over. I find the farm is not paying at all, and I cannot make a living. I built a house (four rooms), and fenced the farm, and improved it, spending about £4OO on improvements. If I leave the farm can I claim anything at all? (2) Can I take the house from the place? (3) Can I claim for improvements at all? (4) I have purchased the farm at £2O per acre, and it is worth only about £8 per acre. Is there a law to compel the owner to lower the price? ” (1) No. (2) No. (3) No. (4) No. Your best plan is to see the local solicitor and explain to him more fully the circumstances of your case.

There was a short-lived ,ute aboard the Marama at Auckland on Friday, when the cooks and stewards refused duty as the result' of the dismissal of a youth who earlier in the day had appeared in the Police Court. As the Marama was to sail in the afternoon the youth could not be given the usual 24 hours’ notice, and this led to the trouble, in order not to delay the vessel the company reinstated the youth and the Marama sailed on time.

The New Zealand Obstetrical Society, which was formed in Dunedin last year, has just held its first annual meeting at Hamilton. With a membership of 212 practitioners and complete records of 2313 cases for six months, it promises to become of great value to the community. In response to its invitation, Mr Victor Bonney, the noted gynecological surgeon from London, is visiting New Zealand. He brings greetings to the new society from the Royal College of Surgeons, England, and the Obstetrical Society of Great Britain. Speak ing at the annual meeting Mr Bonney said: What a fine thing this is which you are starting. . Visualise the future and see the possibilities which lie ahead. It is by specialism that advances are made Continue to make representations to the authorities, and to the public, that the art of obstetrics in the Dominion be lifted to its highest level.”

Prior to the meeting of the Gas Institute at Christchurch, representatives of gas undertakings were called by the Bo<.r<i of Trade to attend a meeting at the Cham her of Commerce, Christchurch for the purpose of discussing various matters dealing with the control of the gas industry The object of the Board of Trade was apparently to secure the views of delegates on tho subject of bringing the smaller gas undertakings in the Dominion into lir with those in the chief centres. The question of the maximum price of gas also came up for discussion. At tho conclusion of the meeting . representatives of municipal undertakings were requested to remain behind, and representations were made bv the Government officials regarding the question of the disposition of profits This question will probably come before the forthcoming conference of th* Municipal Association to be held at Nelson

In Australia, stated General Champain (secretary-general of the British Red Cross Society), speaking at the Wellington Rotary Club’s luncheon on Tuesday, “ the Rod Cross Societies have taken up a ver> strong anti-tuberculosis campaign. They started it first of all amongst the ex-service men, many of whom were afflicted by that dread disease, and they have now taken the work up amongst the civilians generally. I see that in Wellington you have a free ambulance in organisation, and in England one of the greatest activities of the red cross societies is on similar lines. At the close of the war there were hundreds of I war ambulances left on our hands, and we wondered what was the best use that we could make of them. The organisation got to work and the result is that now we have 500 ex-war ambulances dotted about England and Wales at the service of anybody who needs them. In the case of wealthy people, like you Rotarians, who so readi'iy can put your hands in your pockets and pay your half-crown fines, a charge of Is 6d or so a mile is made, but there is no charge in the case of the poor. The aim of the. red cross societies is to fill up gaps like this; and if we look for the gaps, we can very quickly find them.” Attention is drawn to an advertisement 'in our columns by the Workers’ Educational Association dealing with two series of lectures, 24 in each course, prepared by Mr Lloyd Ross, M.A. All thoughtful men and women desirou" of more nearly attuning their mental attitude to modern problems should avail themselves of the manifest advantages offered for a nominal fee.

To be a successful hurdler it requires training (says the Wanganui Herald). On a recent morning in Cook’s Gardens a young woman in running togs when she saw mere men skipping over hurdles considered it quite easy to emulate. She stepped back several yards and clapping on the pace, tried to jump the hurdle, but in her flight hit the top rail and rolled over and over several times, well shaken up. Doubtless Miss Wanganui has made up her mind to confine her attention to flat races in the future.