APPEAL COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 27 March 1931, Page 5

APPEAL COURT

SOLICITOR SUSPENDED (By Telegraph —Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 27. In the case of Law Society v. Masin, this application was continued before the Court of Appeal to-day. Air Cousins for petitioner said it seemed to him that the proceedings would never have come before the Court, had it. not been for the requisitions of Auckland Society, which had been seemingly ignored. Mason commenced practice about two years ago, in March 1929. He commenced to be associated with an underwriting Company to which be devoted an increasing amount of time, with the result that in the end lie tota,ly gave up th e practice. His falure to deal with letters written to him by the Law Society was due to overwork, and not to an intentional disregard of his duty. In delivering judgment, the Chief Justice, Sir M. Myers, said there was no 1 evidence that the practitioner had misappropriated the moneys of his clients. However, there had been conduct amounting to dishonesty. There had been very serious neglect of clients interests and the Court was of opinion that some order should be made. The order of the Court would be that practitioner should be suspended to 91st December of this year. Costs, 2d guineas, and disbursements were allowed to the Law Society,

DECISION IN WATER-LOW'S CASE. (Received this dav at 1.0 n.m.l LONDON, March 26. After an eight day hearing here of the adjustment of costs, «. majority of Judges at the Court of Appeal reduced the Bank of Portugal’s damages to three hundred thousand against Waterlows, cabled on 12th. January, and dismissed the Banks cross appeal, in respect of a deduction of eighty thousand with costs against the Bank The stay of execution was granted on behalf of Waterlows pending an appeal to the House of Lords.