AN UNUSUAL CHARGE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1590, 6 November 1912, Page 6

AN UNUSUAL CHARGE.

LAND AGENT FINED. fßtf Te]ekrai>h.-*Fress Assoclatlon-i Auckland, November 5. An unusual charge was brought against F. A. Clark, land, agent,, "before Mr, F, V. Frazer at the. Police Court to-day. De-fendant-was charged that oil September 20, not being: a barrister of the Supremo Court, he acted as conveyancer by prebaring and receiving payiijent for tiie re- . leaso of a certain mortgage document. Mr. .-J. R.- Beed, who appeared for tho Law Society, Stated that the society had ascertained that defendant' had made out the release. It was further aware that he ■ ; had prepared the original mortgage, but, - as- that had ljeen i drawn up over six months agd.iiW/hctiMfl fwouldiße faketii A fee of one guinea had been charged for the preparation of tho release; The society would for a substantial, yet not. vindictive, penalty. It-had been aware for some time of the fact,that this sort of thing had been going on among land agents, but it was difficult to get a conviction. For the.defence it, was said fhat, defendant was a licensed land broker, and had served his articles as a solicitor's : clerk. Ho was under the impression tlia.t '■ deeds drawn, up on printed form's issued 1 by the Government at a cost of. is. could : be filled up bv any, layman. There wn;s -i iici concealment of the offence I>Y liiiii, aiid < he had acted iii perfectly goptl faith. A i Kno of .£5 with cost's was imposed. ; '