Former N.Z.’er inherits $3M

Press, 31 January 1979, Page 2

Former N.Z.’er inherits $3M

From KEN COATES |1 in London ■' A former New journalist, Mr Tahu Hole,! and his wife have become i millionaires as the sole ben- 1 eficiaries of a countess’s j will. They were the executors |! of the" will of the Countess!] of Abingdon, who died ini October last year, but asli there were no close relatives'* I she left all her property,! amounting to S3M to the j Holes. Mr Hole, who is 73, retired as director of adminis- i tration with the 8.8. C. in 1970. He was born in Christ- . church. He said it was nonsense!’ to suggest he and his wife] had inherited S3M. “Most of■ lit will go in taxes and estate| duties,’’ he said. ; Mr and Mrs Hole say that! the windfall will not makep the slightest difference top their lifestyle. They live in Iwerne Minster. Dorset. [ “I shall make provision in; [my will for the money to be! ‘used on my death for medi-j I cal research — in just what!

I field I don’t know, because Iwe will have to consider the best possible advice on this,” Mr Hole said. , He said he had no living! relative notv in New Zea-1 [land. Mr Hole left Christchurch in 1928 for Australia where :he worked for several newspapers including the “Melbourne Herald,” the “Courier ;Mail” in Brisbane, and the [“Sydney Morning Herald.” He came to Britain as the | London correspondent of the (“Sydney Morning Herald.” later moving into broadcasting with the 8.8. C. Mr Hole described himself as “a life-long friend” of the Countess of Abingdon, who [was 82 when she died, i “She was an old and very! [dear friend of my wife’s ; family (he married an EngI lishwoman) and she had no [close relative to whom she (could leave the money,” he [said. ! The countess was the; [widow of the eighth Earl of; [Abingdon and thirteenth! [Earl of Lindsey whom she I [married in 1928. He died in H 96.3.