LONG LEGAL FIGHT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16201, 26 November 1926, Page 7

LONG LEGAL FIGHT

CHANCERY COURT'S DELAY RUSSIAN PRINCESS* ESTATE (Special to the Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. The experience of bringing to a virtual settlement after 13 years a legal struggle involving the legacy of a Russian princess to a lady relative in New Zealand for whom he lias acted, enabled Mr. D. Stewart, a solicitor practising in Richmond, Nelson, to offer on his return from England by the Aran*a today a. few comments on the ways of the Court, of Chancery, a venerable institution that received attention from more than one of the Victorian classics.

Although he has practically retired from the profession, Air. Stewart wont to England partly for health reasons, and partly to further the interests of his client. The delays oi' 13 years had propared him for procedure somewhat out of the, usual order, but the actual expense of the Court revealed conditions more strange than he, expected. Mr. Stewart found that there were six judges, each receiving a salary of £SOOO a year, and a number of Masters, whose efforts throughout the year are remunerated at the rate of £I6OO. There were also a number of registrars whom Mr. Stewart did not count, but he learned that, the court had a summer vacation of 24 months, besides other vacations throughout the year. "MUCH OVERPAID." "In my opinion the judges are much overpaid," said Mr. Stewart, "and 1 think the work could be done efficiently with half the present personnel." The particular contribution with which Mr. Stewart added to the cares of the court between its vacations concerned the London estate of Princess Alexa Dulgrouki, which remained to her after the successors to the Czarist regime had helped themselves to various mine properties. Mr. Stewart learned before leaving England that the Master who was dealing with the problem had made a report in which he recommended to the judge to whom it would be passed alonsr that Mr. Stewart's client was en titled to the personal effects and hah the residuary estate. This would bring the client about £IO,OOO, and Mr. Stewart believes that the judge will most likely bring the 13 years battle to n close by agreeing to the recommendation.