ROMANCE OF MILLIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1771, 9 June 1913, Page 6

ROMANCE OF MILLIONS.

"A MISSING LINK."

CLAIMS TO LARGE FORTUNES, NEW ZEALAND INTERESTS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, June 8. A romance of millions is working, itself out in a series of circumstances which began with the death of an Army veteran named Richard John Walter, at Point Chevalier. At the inquest held upon tho old man's death, one of tho witnesses, Mr. T. W. Mayson, who was with AValter when ho died, mentioned that tho deceased was supposed to be heir to a large fortune, which he had.never bothered to claim, as ho was too old to trouble about money. The statement was published widely, and advertisements relating to the matter appeared in various parts of the world. Many claimants have sinco written to' Mr. Mayson, and, according to a statement made by him, a new circumstanco of unusual interest has appeared. In the first place, tho dead man's namo was given as Walters, > for by that, name ho usually went, but search showed that thero was no final "s" on tho surname. It appeared as "Walter" in various records, yet nearly all the claimants to his supposed estate were named Walters, except one. Investigations revealed the remarkable fact that thero wero two huge estates in Chancery, ono belonging to a family named "Walter," and another appertaining to the namo "Walters." Tho former appears to be a million and a quarter, and tho other three millions. The only claimant who has appeared under the namo Walter is a Christchurch resident, who claims to bo a brother of the late Richard John Walter. He is duly moving to have his claim to tho cstato investigated in Chancery. The rest of the claimants, those named Walters, are apparently reducible to two groups, explained Mr. Mayson; one is a New Zealand family of whom some branches live ill Auckland, and the other family lives in South Africa. The New Zealand family hold themselves to bo tho senior group, and claim through a common ancestor. They come from tho neighbourhood of tho Walters estates in Wales, have tho family religion, bear the family Christian names, and possess traditional and heirloom evidence. The South African family has already spent about £1000 in moving tho Court of Chancery in its behalf. The Court decided that thero was a missing link in its claim of descent, and it can only act when every link is satisfactorily proved. Somo of tho claimants mado a tour of the world to try to find "Richard John Walters," who was supposed to bo tho last link, but they did not come to New Zealand. Naturally many presumed that tho Army pensioner of Point Chevalier was this important person, but it is. now supposed that tho New Zealand family of Walters numbers among its members the last clement for legitimation of the claim.

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS. (From Oar Speolal Correspondent.) >- SUDDEN DEATH. On Saturday evening the death occurred of Jlary Thompson, 45 years of age, a single woman residing at Upper Hutt. Yesterday afternoon an inquest was opened by the District Coroner, Dr. ll'Arthur, S.2U. Dr. Kemp stated that ho was called in at 9 p.m. on Saturday, but death had occurred about an hour previously. There were no marks of violence on the body, but there were symptoms of eczema. Witness was unable to state tho cause of death without making a post-mortem examination. Maria Ferguson, a resident of Upper Hutt, deposed that deceased resided with her for about three weeks. Deceased had teen attending the Hospital for treatment. At 3 o'clock on Saturday deceased went to bed, but she did not complain then. At 8 o'clock witness noticed a change, and sent for the police. At this stage tho inquest was adjourned till 11 o'clock on Wednesday morning to allow a post-mortem examination to be made, BOROUGH ESTIMATES. At the Hutt Borough Council's meeting to-night, tho estimates- for the year will come up for consideration. Tho Pctone Borough Council estimates will bo considered at nest Monday's meeting of that body. CHIEF JUSTICE AT PETONE. The Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout, will deliver a lecture (it a meeting of the Petone Wesley Literary and Debating Society this evening at tho Wesley Church, Nelson Street. Tho subject will l,e: "What is Implied by the Brotherhood of Man ?" Tho llayor, llr. J. W. M'Ewan, has consented to take tho chair.