SOLICITORS’ TRUST ACCOUNTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1925, Page 4

SOLICITORS’ TRUST ACCOUNTS.

A WARNING. WELLINGTON. May lA. A warning tn solicitors that lie mu-.l bate lrust aeeunnts uudi 1- d i act in dam c with Hie previsions of |h Law Hnu !i i iuiHu s’ Act war i- -1 It'd i the Magi-I rale’s ('mill to-day, when for failing til comply with the reguia lions in this i iniiiei 1 ion William Join Organ, soliciior. of Wellington, wa lined JJ-V.I hy Mi C, K On' Walk r K.M. Tin’s particular ease was purely mu of negligence according to Mr 'lnti hope, who appeared lor Hie Crnwi Lav. Ofliee. It was necessary for soli | rili is to have trust accounts audits: 1 l,v June Ist. The minimum penult.' provided hy the Act was a tine ei £o!). “On" would expert-aid, Mt Tlldlioj m, Fail all - dirtier ; v. oil a comply wiih these regulation-., and aa mat ier . 1 iart Ihe bulk of 1 hem do. forty who have given trouble 1-v years. I would like t«:.-e solicitor- 1 ■ take not it e that in future nfl'eiiih-r--at'e in he prosecuted witbeut warning.” ( nuns 'I -aid tliat it was e s. ri. 111 ■ matier fur a iilieitor lo I. ■ preset uted, as the (irueeediug.s were thus given a more m rimi- aspect than 1 h.-y act nails merit'd. Tim present d - feadaut had been very negligent and had [Hit tun until,u'it ir- in a very great deal m trauble. Counsel lor defend:: in said tee. there was no -uggcsci'.iti of impr >■ prii'iv. I!:- client bail marly he.-n negligent. In imposing th.- mininann peiuili.v of £0!) the magistrate leiuurked that he could not understand why solicitors did not comply with the regulations. The mere fact that a man was Ijeforr j tile eourl fur failing to have his tm- t j areotiiil audited would give the general public an improv-i ni that there j was .something wrong and that do- j fondant was a.raid to "face the music." In the present case. how- [ ■ver. it was quit;- clear that there was nothing in i: hut "sheer neglect." Tory often when the law was imt 011-’orei.-d those whose conduct it was ineinled to supervi-e became still more negligent. The depart uietit. !.•>•••- •ver. had issued its "'Mining tint; in 'uiure cases olieilder- would i.e illincdiately proseruted.