DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1926, Page 3

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH rER PRESS association.]

VICTORIAN PREMIER IN N.Z.

WELLINGTON, February 11

The Hon Mr Allan, Premier of Victoria, and Mrs Allan, arrived here on their way to the Exhibition and will afterwards visit Rotorua and Waitomo.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RESENTMENT. WELLINGTON, February 11. The Chamber of Commerce discussed the victimisation of the four volunteer seamen who were refused a passage on the Ngaio and expressed strong indignation and decided to send a letter of protest to the Anchor Company and obtain a complete report on the whole matter.

Allusion was also made to the opim, ion expressed by a member of the Farmers’ Union that the Chamber was always against the farmers. The nien’ibers resented this and considered there was no foundation for it. LEGITIMATIZED CHILDREN. an important judgment. WELLINGTON, Feb. 11. Mr Justice Read delivered reserved judgment on an originating summons which asked the question : “Arc children horn out of lawful wedlock, but afterwards legitimatised (subsequent, however, to the decease of the devisor) entitled to benefit under a will made by someone other than their father?” The facts were that Henry Archer Bunny, who was domiciled in New Zealand, died on the 2nd of March, 1921, having executed a will and codicil, probate whereof was granted a week later. A relevant clause in the will read: “To such of them, the children of by brother Frederick Harold Bunny as survive me. and attain tho age of 21 years, the sum of one thousand pounds each.”

Mr Justice Read, in his judgment, said the domicile of the father at the date of the children’s birth, and the subsequent*marriage of the parents, i?i New South Wales, the statue was clear, unambiguous and retrospective in its terms and puts the legitimated child in the same position as if it had been horn legitimate. These children wore clearly legitimated and were entitled to all their rights as from birth. In this case, however, the difficulty would seem to have arisen because the children were not legitimated till after the death of the testator.

His Honour quoted the decision of the Court of Appeal, wherein it was held that the retrospective nature of the legislation .empowered the Court to admit such children to participation in the benefits of a will. The fact, therefore, that this class of children lienclittin.g under a clause of the Act was closed on the death of the testator was no ground for not admitting subsequent legitimated children to participation. An order was made that tho two children mentioned in this case were entitled to share any benefit given under tbe will of the deceased to tho children of Frederick Harold Bunny.

AMY GLENN NOT GUILTY. CHRISTCHURCH. Feb. 11

In the "charge of manslaughter •■■gainst Amy Glenn l>v the unlawful o'*" 1 of nil instrument. Judge Adams '•eld that owing to an omission, tho depositions of the dead girl were not •idmissahle and the jury neturned a verdict of not guilty at his direction, and the woman was discharged. ELECTROCUTION FATA LITY. POWER BOARD BEING SUED. HAMILTON. Fob. 11. In connection with the recent electrocution fatality at Tamvhene, whereby Mark Wefib and Walter Collett, his grandson, were killed through ■ '•ontact with a fallen power line, the Central Power Board has been served with a notice of intention to sue for G3OOO compensation for Elizabeth Wehh and Maud Welih, widow and daughter respectively of Mark Wehh. The relatives of the hoy Collett have advised the Board of their intention to sue the Board for £3OO.

DROWNING REPORTED. BLENHEIM, February 11. The police have been advised that a man whose name is not reported was drowned yesterday at a Bluff Station In the Clarence Valley. The place is very inaccessible, there being no roads and no telephones. The only means of communication is by a bridle track. AV A NGANOI S ENTEXCES. WANGANUI. Feb. 11. Three prisoners who came before ATr Justice MacGregor at the Supreme Court this morning received the following sentences: — John Benjamin Alston, for indecent assault, three years. Herbert Boagey, breaches ol the Bankruptcy Act. one month. David Strachan, theft of moneys from the Paten-AYaitotara Babbit Board, to be detained for a period notexceeding two years’ reformative treatment.