SOLDIERS’ WILLS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 December 1939, Page 4

SOLDIERS’ WILLS

SPECIAL REGULATIONS GAZETTED. PROVISION MADE FOR SEAMEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. By the Soldiers’ Wills Emergency Regulations, 1939. published in the Gazette of December 21, special provision is made with respect to the making of wills by members of His Majesty's Naval, Military and Air Forces, and also by seamen. The At-torney-General, Mr Mason, pointed out last night that the regulations apply to wills made at any time after the beginning of the present war. While a state of war exists, all members of the naval, military, and air forces who are under twenty-one years of age are authorised to make wills in the ordinary way as if they were of full age. This provision applies to Natives as well as Europeans, but Natives are not entitled to make informal wills, as Europeans are while they are soldiers on actual military service or are seamen at. sea. With respect to Europeans, the existing law as to informal wills is extended so as to enable airmen to make them as well as soldiers. To remove any doubt it is declared that New Zealand soldiers (including airmen) shall be deemed to be on actual military service for the purpose of making informal wills at all times while they are outside New Zealand during a state of war. Members of the naval and marine forces are authorised to make informal wills not only when at sea, but when they are so circumstanced that if they were soldiers they would be on actual military service. The regulations also provide, added Mr Mason, that, informal wills might appoint guardians of infant children, as well as dispose of property, and that informal wills of mariners and seamen might dispose of real estate as well as personal estate. That was already the case with regard to soldiers (including airmen).