NEGLIGENCE ALLEGED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20359, 17 July 1934, Page 13

NEGLIGENCE ALLEGED.

Judgment Reserved in Estate Case. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 16. To-day the Court of Appeal concluded the hearing of legal argument in an appeal brought by the Public Trustee against the judgment of Mr Justice M’Gregor at Wellington on December 8, 1933. The facts giving rise to the appeal were that John Merry, a retired bootmaker, of Wellington, had accumulated considerable house property in Wellington when in September, 1913, he was committed to a mental hospital, where he died in September, 1924. From the date of his commitment until September, 1928, the estate was managed by the Public Trustee, who then transferred it to Alice Merry, the widow and sole surviving beneficiary. In January, 1929, Mrs Merry commenced an action against the Public Trustee. She alleged that the Public Trustee so unskilfully and negligently managed and controlled the real property of the estate that large losses were caused by reason of inadequate rentals being obtained. Mr Justice MacGregor gave judgment for the plaintiff for £1059, plus costs and disbursements. Judgment was reserved.