HOME FOR ORPHANS

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1926, Page 6

HOME FOR ORPHANS

BEQUEST /OR WANGANUI. Wanganui, Nov. 13. During the past week the Watt Estate property opposite the post office at the eerner of the Avenue and Ridgway Street was sold for £30,000 and this deal now dears the way for the fulfilment of the bequest made by Mr. W. H. Watt some years ago. According to the will of deceased it had been his intention of bequeathing valuable land containing 52 acres at Mosstown, adjacent to the Belmont golf links,, to his daughter Margaret. Unfortunately the daughter was drowned when a passenger in the ship Avalanche on her return to her native country, in consequence of a collision with another vessel in the English Channel in September, 1877. The father then decided to perpetuate her memory in her native town and district of Wanganui by establishing an asylum for orphans' born within the North Island. Some unique provisions are contained in the will. The testator directs that ' there shall be erected on some part of die highest land and maintained in proper repair a flagstaff, and there shall be always provided and kept a flag of the pattern of St. George’s ensign with the letters ‘M.W.O.H.’ worked thereon, which flag shall be hoisted on every Sabbath- morning at eight o’clock and kept flying during the day until sundown and at such times as the trustees may think fit. Such flag shall also be hoisted fuilf-mast on September 11 in each year.” It is further directed that the institution shall lie called the “Margaret Watt Orphans’ Home.”