LONDON PAYMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 302, 22 December 1933, Page 7

LONDON PAYMENTS

THE ADELAIDE CASE QUESTION IN COUNCIL INFORMATION INCOMPLETE. [ Per Press Association. I WELLINGTON, Dec. 21. Information as to the nature of the decision of the House of Lords on the Australian interest payment cases was sought by Sir James Allen in the legislative Council to-day, but in reply to a question, the Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Masters) said that the Government was still endeavouring to clarify the position.

Sir James asked the Government whether information had been received regarding a report to the effect that a judgment of the Privy Council, announced in the House of Lords, had reversed a decision of the Court of Appeal that interest might be paid in Australian currency, and which indicated that such interest must be paid in sterling; and, if so, would this decision affect two cases in New Zealand—namely, the Auckland Transport Board and the Southland Power Board. 4 4 Tho Government has received a cable from the High Commissioner In regard to the decision of the House of Lords in the appeal case, the Adelaide Electric Supply Company v. Prudential Assurance, from which It appears that in the course of its judgment the House of Lords traversed the judgment in the Broken Hill case,” re plied Mr. Masters. “It is not quite clear just what effect the decision in tho Adelaide case w’ill have on the Auckland Transport Board and the Southland Electric Power Board, but the fact remains that the House of Lords, when allowing the appeal by the Adelaide Electric Supply Co., Ltd., stated that in their opinion Mr. Justice Maughan and Lord Hanworth in the Broken Hill case were correct, and that the judgment of the majority in the Court of Appeal should be treated as overruled. Tho Government is in communication with the High Commissioner with a view to obtaining further information on the point raised by the hon. gentleman.”