SOLDIERS' ESTATES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16260, 10 July 1918, Page 6

SOLDIERS' ESTATES.

THE RIGHTS OF MOTHERS. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, July 9 A deputation itom the Soldiers' Mothers League waited on Sir James Allen with reference to an anomaiy in the law of inheritance. Mr C. J. Pair, in introducing the deputation, said under the Statute of distribution, dating from about the reign of Charles 11., the estate of a bachelor dying intestate went to tho father soleJy. Several instances had cropped up in which young soldiers had been absolutely neglected by their fathers during their period of rearing and education, yet when the youths had [made the great sacrifice, the fathers claimed and received the insurance money and other estate. He thought the mothers were entitled to at least j an equal share. Sir James Allen said many cases had 1 come before him in which men who had deserted their wives had enforced claims to deceased soldiers' estates, and he had great difficult} in preventing such men from benefiting by allotments and allowances that ought to go to i wives and mothers. He did not know , how far the law could be altered next ! session or whether the Government would be prepared to legislate, but he would place the matter Before the At-torney-General to see if means could bo devisd to place the matter on a«more < equitable basis.