INQUIRERS' CORNER

NZ Truth, Issue 1188, 6 September 1928, Page 18

INQUIRERS' CORNER

| i'»»>m iiiiiiiiiiiiuuiuuiiiMiiii mi Oonducted by'MNTERPR ET E R ." S;,iii!!i,m!mii!iiiiiH mm ■ n»»»g I || Answers will be published as early as possible after receipt of || i || questions and so far as possible m order of rotation of receipt. || || All letters must be written m ink and be addressed "Interpreter" || •|1 c/o "Truth," Manners Street, Wellington. While we take no |§ || responsibility for any answer given m these columns, every || || endeavor will be made to see that they are absolutely correct. || •II Answers to legal queries must be accepted merely as a || || guide as to whether or not it is worth while going to the ex- || || pense of placing matters inquired about m the hands of a §| || solicitor for further action. . II II No replies can be made by post. No anonymous inquiries || || will be answered, and inquiries of this nature will not be pre- || || served. Frivolities an.d questions not of general interest will |§ l| not be answered. ll

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE. Q.: (1) Can a man who left his wife of his own free will and has an order made against him for maintenance, sue his wife for a divorce at the end of three years? (2) Can a wife be accused of leaving her husband and sued for a divorce at the end of three years because she left the town m which her husband resided when she had no homo and nowhere to live and was advised by a solicitor to do so, as her husband had already deserted her, and* had an order for maintenance made against him?— "V.C." (Wellington). A.: In each case the husband can sue and if the action is undefended by presenting a distorted version of the facts he may succeed. If, however, the wife defends each suit would be dismissed on proof of the circumstances. GENERAL. Q.: I employed a domestic servant who became ill and went home, leaving her belongings m my house for several weeks. Can I claim storage on them? — "1.R." (Methven). A.: No.. Q.: I order a suit from a tailor and have one try-on. v As it was inconvenient for me to call for it when ready, I paid for it and ordered the tailor to forward it to me when finished. After waiting six weeks I received

it, but on trying it on flnd it does not fit. (1) Can I compel the tailor to alter it free of charge? (2) If he refuses, what is my best alternative? — "Bitten" (Waiau). A.: (1) Tou can ask him to do so, but you have no means of compelling such action on his part. (2) Since you havg paid for it the only thing you can do is to sue for damages. Q.: Being m arrears with my rent I was ordered by the court to quit m three weeks. Can I get an extended time if I

cannot find a house m three weeks' time?— " Returned Soldier" (Wellington). ' A.: No. Tou can then be ejected, but no doubt the landlord would agree to a reasonable extension. Q.: My father was the owner of a certain piece of land, which on his death was left to several of his relatives as tenants m common. Should we pay the same land tax that he paid before his death? — "Anxious" (Wataroa). A.: Tes. The property will continue to be assessed as one property and the same land tax will be payable by the administrator of your father's estate. Q.: I am living with a man and not legally married to him. Have I a right to be enrolled on the electoral roll under his name? — "Anxious" (Te Kuiti). A.: Tea. Q.: Can a hotelkeeper be compelled to provide a respectable, sober man with (a) liquor, (b) a bed?— " Wager" (Waitatl). A.: (a) No. (b) He is guilty of an offenoe m refusing, except for some valid reason, to provide travellers with meals and accommodation. Q.:.1 am putting on the market a certain patent polish. What formalities must be gone through m order to protect my patent? — "Glosso" (Petone). A.: Tou should register it under the Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Act, 1913. See the Registrar about it.

WAGES AND PENSIONS. Q.: Can a person who has no property or income, save a war pension, apply for the old age pension ?—"Pension" ( )• A.: Yes. Q.: I was on home service m Featherston camp for over two years and got discharged m 1918 as unfit for further service. Now I have to go. mto hospital with the same trouble. Am I entitled to assistance from the Pensions Department?— "W.M." (Marton) . A.: Only if you can prove that your illness was caused or aggravated by your military service. LEGAL. Q.: I am nineteen years old and while working as a domestic servant was dismissed for theft. My mother now insists on my returning to live at home. Can she force me to do so? — "Greatford-ite" (Wanganui). A.: In the circumstances she would probably succeed m an application "for your custody, as you have shown tnat you cannot look after yourself. Q.: Is an 1.0. U. m which no specific date for payment Js mentioned, valid? — "Anxious" (Auckland). , A.: It is valid for what/ it is — a mere acknowledgment of indebtedness. It is some proof that money was owing. It is not a promissory note, which is

negotiable and can be sued on. Q. : In your paper of July 26, •1925, was an account of the trial at Pal merston North of the promoters of the Natural Health Institute on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences. I and several others m this town were similarly duped for 30 gns. Do you think there is any chance of recovering the money? — "Stung" (Napier). A. : You can certainly sue civilly for the recovery of the money, and are

•bound to obtain judgment, but it is doubtful -whether they haye anything left with which to pay. - If they have, it may be worth your while to proceed m bankruptcy. Q.: I owe a small sum of money to a firm. I have just received a letter from a solicitor demanding payment. He also includes legal costs 6/8. Must I pay the costs? — "Debtor" (Masterton). A.: He cannot compel payment of any costs unless he has issued a summons and then only as per court scale. Q.: Can a woman draw both the old age pension and the widows pension? — "J.P." (New Plymouth). A.: No. Q.: Can my parents, old age pensioners, claim my little girl, 7% years. She is illegitimate and I am working to support her. I am married, but separated from my husband. — "P.E.D." (Wellington). ' A.: They cannot take the child against your will. The mother of an illegitimate child has the paramount right to its custody. Q.: I went Into a motor garage to see a car. On coming out of the garage I slipped on the doorstep and broke my arm. Afterwards the proprietor removed the doorstep as he said it was on a slant and dangerous. Have I any claim?— " Fair Play" (Hastings). A.: Unless you have more evidence than that, it would hardly be worth while taking proceedings.