SON’S CLAIM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 December 1938, Page 8

SON’S CLAIM

ON ESTATE OF LATE ROBERT BELL. HEARING IN CHRISTCHURCH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Claiming a share in the estate of his late father, Robert Bell, newspaper pro. prietor, of Christchurch, Robert Browr Bell (eldest son) proceeded in the. Supreme Court today against the Perpetual Trustees Estate and Agency Co Ltd executors of the will and beneficiaries. Nine counsel are engaged. The testator's estate amounted, said counsel, Mr Sim, to £70,558, which was divided amongst the widow and children with the exception of plaintiff, ana the eleven grandchildren, with small bequests to Canterbury College and the Ashburton High School. "Plaintiff’s claim is based,” saic counsel, "on his health —he is a broken man. fifty years old, who has spent his energies—and financial position. At testator’s death, he further claims, it was his life’s work that put the.family in its happy financial position.” One of the points that might be raised by the defence, was said Mr Sim, that plaintiff had received £lO,OOO before his father’s death and had lived in better circumstances than the others. Plaintiff was wounded in the neck during the war, and he drew a pension of £26 a year. Owing to the injury to his nervous system, doctors considered that he would-never again be capable of sustained mental effort. From the age of fourteen he had worked excessively long hours assisting his father ini the early days of the “Ashburton Guardian” and doctors attributed his present nervous exhaustion in part tc this. (Proceeding).