ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 101, 14 September 1912, Page 5

ROMANCE IN REAL LIFE.

FORTUNE OF THREE MILLIONS GOING BEGGING. MIGHT HAVE BEEN RICHEST MAN IN NEW ZEALAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Friday. A fortune of three million pounds which should have been claimed years ago by an Auckland resident, Richard John Walters, now deceased, is going begging. The story of the fortune and its former possessors is most complicated, but no doubt the authorities 'will find the right claimant to the'huge property in due coure. The estate now lies in the English Chancery Court, and by the end of 1011 had accumulated to over £3,000,000. It lies there in the name of Walters, an Exeter family, whose heir has been advertised for in the British papers without avail. Richard John Walters, 72 years of age, formerly belonged to the English army. He came to New Zealand many years ago, and finally settled with Mr. T, W. Mayson, of Point Chevalier. Auckland, and worked for him as a gardener. As he grew older Walters became very eccentric in his habits, and in December last year died of excessive drinking. He was in receipt of the old age pension from the New Zealand Government, hut so far as is known was possessed of other means. Little did his benefactors think they were helping one who might have been the richest man in New Zealand, and one who could have claimed some of the richest properties in English provinces. Walters, it is said, made a confidant of Mr. Mayson, his employer, hut apparent' ly his statements were not taken very much notice of until during the last few months of the old man's life. He often said to Mr. Mavson, "It's too much trouble to bother al)out. Tam content with my pension, and lam old." Walters, it is said, had certain documents in his possession which, if he had cared to send them to the right quarters through a reliable source, would have made him the possessor of this bilge fortune. Since it became known that the old man was the real heir to the estate Mr, Mayson has been inundated with letters from persons in all parts of the world who claim to be relatives of the deceased.