THE HON. W. JOHNSTON'S WILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8535, 13 September 1907, Page 7

THE HON. W. JOHNSTON'S WILL.

fIaJBafcSTATE WORTH HALF A MILLION.

On tha sth inst., his Honour Sir Robert Stout, C.J., on the motion of Mr Tripp (Chapman and Tripp) granted probate to the will of the late Hon- Walter Woods Johnston, merchant, of Awahuri and Wellington. The value of the deceased gentleman's estate has not as yet been accurately determined, but it is presumed that it is considerably over £500,000, and if this statement is borne out by the facts when they csme to be ascertained, the value of this estate will exceed by some £200,000 that of any other which has been left in the colony. The estate of the late Mr Jacob Joseph was valued at £300,000, and that of the late Mr W. H. Levin at about £250,000. The Hon. Walter Woods Johnston's will is a long and somewhat involved document. Three-fourths of the estate is given to the widow; but the testator's sons, John Goring Johnston, Walter J. Johnston and Oswald G. Johnston, take a very considerable interest in the estate. The Trustee has been given ;£ 80,000 to invest on behalf of the testator's four daughters—Mrs P. Baldwin, Mrs H. Holmes, Mrs W. H. Turnbuli and Miss E. C. Johnston. The sum of £4,000 is to go to the testator's, niece, Miss Beryl Agr.es Goring, a daughter of Sir Harry G. Goring. The widow is given discretionary powers of a veiy extensive character, and although under the will most of the legacies are confined to the testator's family, and to some of his old servants, the •widow may, in her discretion, extend thfi list of beneficiaries. The executors appointed under the will are Messrs John G. Johnston, Walter G. Johnston and W. H. Turnbuli, and each of these gentlemen are to receive £lO5 per annum during the term of their trust. —New Zealand Times.