MILLIONAIRE'S ESTATE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 5 July 1926, Page 7

MILLIONAIRE'S ESTATE.

CASE OF LADY HOUSTON i I SANITY PROVED ! -Received 10.30 a.m.. LONDON. -July 4. : The Jersey Royal Court after hearing medical experts rescinded its former declaration that Lady Houston was incapable of managing her own affair-. — (A. and X.Z. Cable.)

Lady Houston had been recently examined by four mental specialists, anil declared mentally and physic illy tit. She petitioned the -Jer-ey Court to'annul the appointment of "he carat.>r of her inishan I* lar.e e-;a:e. pointing out Chat th- specialisms' report showed her ■il-health Lad culminated in an atMek ot jaundice accompanied '-v m-'n-a! -'-infusion, which lisapneare'l wh.m -lie jaundice was c ire-i." ' The Court adjourned the application to enable the principal residents of the Island to Lear medical evidence in accordance with Channel Islands law. Lady Houston. e n hearing the decision. collapsed, declared it was unfair, alleging conspiracy i__inst her. Sir Robert Houston, the British shipowner, left a fortune valued at £7 DOO.OOri and made a will ir. Jersey where he claimed domicile Xo death duties are levied in Jersey The "Sketch" said -hat tie highest legal authority s'.ated that "iv Wsev domicile f-ompletelv nrote-t* rh« Houston estate from death '.titles, which it is estimate--' would have (mounted to £3.000.000 The "Daily Mail" stated that the Treasury would probably bring a test case in order to secure a" ruling regarding Channel Island domicile. Two years aso at the age of 71. Sir Robert married the widow "of the ninth Baron Rvron. Lady Houston was declared mentally and physically incapable of takin_ care of herself o* her fortune The Court appointed a curator. Her husband left her two-thirds of his estate with immediate payment of £"100.000 and a maim if! cent yacht. His wife twice -aved his life. He" left £.5(1.000 and onefifth of his e-tate to bis business associate and life-long friend. George Henry Appleton. of Liverpool. A number of smaller bequests were made, after which the residue is left t(. Lady Houston. Sir Robert Houston, h.-l'dng died without heir, his property for a and a day is declared to be tie privilege of the I\in_ by the Jersey Assi ZP J'Herita_e. the oldest Land Court in the world. The Kimr : * of the F|.->r dv Roi. in which Sir Rohert Houston* Jer«ev property :'- situated. The Chancellorof the Exchequer. Mr. Winston Churchill replyir._ to a question in the House --f .'""omrnon-;. -aid tL.ere apr^n:-.-. : to he a reasonable prospect of se.-ur.n_ death duties in connection with the estate of Sir Robert Houston, the total nf which had probably been exaggerated. The Government was considering the question of evasion of taxation by residents of the Channel Islands and he I would not hesitate to ask the House to , take any action suitable for protection j of revenue. ;