Fiji Trustees Justified

A GREAT deal of interest was taken in Fiji in lengthy litigation between the beneficiaries and the trustees of the estate of the late Adam A. Coubrough, which includes valuable plantations at Sogulu, Ura and Selia Levu, on Taviuni, and at Sigatoka, on Viti Levu. The trus tees are two men well-known in the South Seas—Mr. Robert Crompton and Mr. Edward Duncan.

There are two beneficiaries, both over 60, who live in New Zealand. They had received each about £l,OOO per annum from these coconut estates. Then war and other circumstances gravely affected the copra industry, and the trustees, determined that the properties should be protected, reduced the payments to the beneficiaries to £250 per annum each. The beneficiaries claimed they were entitled to a much larger sum, to be paid out of a reserve fund, which had been specially created to meet such a contingency. They also demanded the dismissal of the trus tees.

The Chief Justice, Sir Owen Corrie, found in favour of the trustees. He suggested that the allowance to the bene ficiaries could be increased to £4OO per

annum each without damaging the capi tal position. He rejected the demands for the removal of the trustees from office.