THREE MILLIONS IN CHANCERY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8361, 22 February 1913, Page 2

THREE MILLIONS IN CHANCERY

CLAIMED BY RESIDENT OF TRANSVAAL. “ONLY ONE MISSING LINK ” Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 21. A fortune of throe million pounds, which it was ascertained recently might have been claimed by an army veteran, Richard John Walters, who died at Point Chevalier recently, is arousing a great deal of interest. It wm he remembered that Walters was in the employ of Mr T. W. Mayson, of Point Chevalier, and was of eccentric habits. Ho often hinted that he was heir to an English estate of big proportions, but he always said that he was too old to bother about money. He couldn’t enjoy the fruits of it if ha went, to the trouble of getting it. It has now been found that the estate which Walters might have claimed is that known as “West Lands,” in South Wales. Upon it are very rich coal, lead, and slate deposits, and together with a large nnmber of bonds and securities the whole estate runs up to tho value of over £3,000,000. There are a host of claimants to this magnificent fortune, and it is surprising how many people are writing to Mr Mayson in order to find out if they are any relation of the deceased pensioner. Some of the letters are very interesting. It is said by those who have gone thoroughly into, the estate that the claimant who appears to have most hope of obtaining the fortune' is Mr John R. Walters, a young man who is how resident at Benoui, in the Transvaal. Some years ago Mr John Walters, senr., father of the claimant (now deceased), heard that in the family there were estates of considerable value. His inquiries led him to go to London, where tho matter was brought before the Chancery Court. Mr . Walters, junr., now writes to Mr Mayson to say that when the case had been dealt with the presiding judge said that the claim to the heirdom had only one missing link. If Mr Walters, senr., could find a certain “Richard John Walters” and clear up tho mystery of his whereabouts the fortune would undoubtedly revert to the claimant when, this Richard John Walters died. A world’s tour was then taken by Mr Walters, senr., and his son, Mr J. R. Walters (the present claimant from South Africa), in search of Richard John Walters. Only two years ago they returned to the Transvaal without discovering his whereabouts. Mr Walters, senr., subsequently died. Another active pursuit for the big estate, is being made by Mr J. R. Walters,, and he has engaged a firm of London solicitors to further his claim pending his arrival in London from Capetown. There are a number of other claimants. One is a young man named Stanley Arthur Walters, now of Leicester, England, but formerly a sorter in the General Post Office in Wellington., In ,a letter to Mr Mayson he states that he often heard that he had an uncle in New Zealand, hut .could never locate him. In ' the meantime the estate still lies in Chancery at Home, and the Public Trust offices of England and New Zealand are pursuing inquiries about the claimants.