PUZZLE FOR COURT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20893, 24 November 1937, Page 5

PUZZLE FOR COURT

IS HAILE SELASSIE AN EMPEROR? United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 21. Is Haile Selassie still Emperor of Abyssinia, or merely a royal refugee from a conquered country? Is he wealthy or penniless? These questions may be decided by the High Court as a result of a writ taken out on November 19 by an American, Mr Leo Chertok, who took a prominent part in planning the lease of a large part of Abyssinia to a group of international financiers 10 years ago. Mr Chertok is suing Haile Selassie for £23,000 for cash advanced and for commission. Haile Selassie is faced with the alternative of refusing to defend the action, whereby Mr Chertok will get judgment by default, or of entering an appearance through a solicitor and defending the action. According to English law, no Court has jurisdiction over a sovereign. If, therefore, Haile Selassie decides to make this a preliminary issue, it will be left to the Court to decide whether Mr Chertok can continue with his claim. REFUSAL OF WRIT EMPEROR CANNOT BE SERVED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 23, 10.45 p.m.) LONDON, November 23. Mr Chertok’s solicitors attempted to serve a writ on Haile Selassie yesterday, but his secretary refused to accept. “I simply refused to have anything to do with it,” he told “The Daily Herald." A friend said that as Haile Selassie is still recognised by the British Government and his own supporters as Emperor, it was impossible to serve a writ on him.