CURIOUS LAW SUIT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 300, 5 October 1880, Page 2

CURIOUS LAW SUIT.

A case presenting many romantic features has been before the Victorian law courts recently. It was an action brought by a bank manager of Mudgee, N..5.W., named White, a middle-aged

man with a large family, against hiß grandfather (Mr R. Hoddle), the first Surveyor-General of Victoria, and the layer-out of Melbourne. White claimed to be entitled to a block of land in Elizabeth-street, one of the busiest thoroughfares in Melbourne, and he based his title upon a deed (which he could not produce) of trust alleged to heve been executed many years ago by Mr Hoddle, in which the latter avowed that he simply held the laod in trust for hia grandchildren In 1884, when land in Melbourne was of little value, the property was settled by Mr Hoddlo upon his first wife, who, some years later, when her husband was in temporary difficulties through the failure of the Bank of Australia, conveyed it back to him on his executing a deed to hold land in trust for her and her surviving grandchildren. She died in 1863, and nine months afterwards Mr Hoddle, then in his 70th year, married his present wife, then a girl of 22. Three years ago he executed a settlement of the laud in dispute, now valued at from £250,000 to £300,000, on his present wife, by whom he has had four children. He had previously settled other freehold land and about £28,000 in cash upon her and besides all this was still worth £50,000. Mr White, who asseitad the.t Mrs Hoddle had prejudiced his grandfather against hinv hearing of this settlement, and by a curious conjunction of circumstances obtaining evidence at about the same time of the execution of the deed of trust, took steps to prevent his stepmother from bringing the land under the Transfer of Land Statute. It would be difficult to say how the jury would have decided, for neither the case for the plaintiff nor the defendant was very satisfactory, but, at the last moment, they were relieved of all trouble by a compromise being arrived at. The plaintiff agreed to accept half the property and half the rents which had accrued f i om it during the last 17 yeais, which represents about £49,000. An affecting scene occurred in the Court when this satisfactory result was announced. The poor old defendent, who is nearly 90 years of age burst into tears when his grandson sought a reconciliation, and throwing himself on his shoulder, blessed, and wished him a long enjoyment of his good fortune.