MR MACARTY'S WILI

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1525, 22 August 1912, Page 5

MR MACARTY'S WILI

MAGNIFICENT BEQUESTEDUCATION & CHARITY, AT LEAST HALF A MILLION-

'J'lin nanio of tho lato Mr. Thomas Q. .Mncnrthy will g<> down to posterity in as tins greatest benefactor, from a iiiimiciiil point of view, that the city ling known. Jn our obituary notice ivjermicn \vn:i inmli; to tlio deceased genHuman as (in>; of retiring dispo.-dtion, who, in his own ijuji-l way, was extremely gen« ■ crous. (July u wry few wero permitted to know tho extent of his private benefactions in lii'o, but tho public will never ba allowed to forget tho magnificence of tho bequests made in Jiis wi,ll. Almost everyone in Wellington was awaro that Mr. McCarthy was an extremely wealthy man, but all (he estimates vrero under the reality. The oslato has been sworn for probate at .i' 500,000 by the Public Trustee-, but that mm is only approximate, eomo such estimate being a more or less necessary formality attaching to the application. Tho real value will not bo known until a fresh valuation is mado for probate duty by tho oilicials of the Probate Office. ' It may bo anything between X' 500,000 and ■£800,000. After making a very liberal allowance for his widow, that will run into a five, h'guro sum per annum, and providing ! ' for several smaller annuities (including ono of £300' per annum for Mrs. Butter, sister of Mrs. T. G. Macarthy) and bo- . quests, Mr. Macarthy has left tho balance of his estate for the benefit of education and the support of charities iu the provincial district of Wellington, and further it is understood that on the death of hit widow tho property which yields her im come- is to bo utilised in the same beneficent manner. In his will, it is said that Mr. Macarthy suggests that a board, consistiug of hie Excellency the Governor, tho Prime Minister, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, aud the Mayor of Wellington (for tho lime being) should bo set up to apportion and allocate the moneys to tho various educational and charitable institutions which aro to benefit. This will probably bo carried out, and the proper authority given to the board by, a special Act of Parliament. Tho moneys that will.bo available for .'■ theso public purposes is tho incoino of not less thaw a quarter of a million of money.. ' . .. , It is understood that Mr. C. P. Skorrott is appointed under tho. will tho legal representative of tho Public Trustee (Uio sole executor). . . The granting of probate was mcntioneil before Mr. Juslico Sim by Mr. Skerrolt yesterday. His , Honour referred to the rule •/ of tho Court providing that probate could ■ not bo granted within a week after death. On that account tho application will not bo mado until n week has elapsed. In. : tho meantime the details of the will'.are not available.