PENSIONER'S WILL

Evening Post, Issue 66, 15 September 1936, Page 10

PENSIONER'S WILL

DISCOVERY IN A BIBLE

(FiW "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, September. 1. ' A world-wide search for nextrof-kin of a supposed intestate has been suspended by the Public Trustee of -Nev* South Wales,' as a document purport* ing to be a will executed by the deceased has been found. It waf found in a dilapidated binding of fl Bible. . ' ■' ..„ William Wright Yates, who died H , April of last year, had been in ra ceipt of the old age pension fron 1927. It was discovered on examina tion of his papers that he' had £3001 • on fixed deposit, but no will could-b< discovered, and the Public Trustee* having discharged the claims of ths Pensions Department to recoupment commenced search for the hext-of-ku entitled to share the balance remain" ing in his hands. No claimant waj forthcoming in Australia, but threi ■ persons living in England mad* claim. ; ■ So the matter stood when recently some Bibles were put into an oven* It appears that the old man—he wa:« 70—had been a diligent reader of the Scriptures. His little library "inciuuea half a dozen Bibles. They were of varying size of some antiquity, and well thumbed. The Public Trustee's officer who had charge of the matter, seeing that the Bibles were of no commercial value and that Yates's landlady was much affected by his death, said to her: "If you would like to keep these in remembrance, of Mr. Yates, do so." She was very grateful, and the Bibles passed into her possession, to be otherwise forgotten. More than a year passed, and then oner day a rainstorm and an open window resulted in the former landlady having to consider how th« Bibles should be made dry again: So she heated her oven to an appropriate temperature, and then turning off the gas, put the Bibles into the ■warm interior. When she took them out they had an aspect of general curliness and the bindings were parting their long associations with the pages. Examination disclosed, concealed in the back of one volume, between the binding material, a closely-folded piece of paper, purporting to be the will of Mr. Yates. It bears date oC eight years ago. The document is to be submitted ia the Probate Judge in proceedings which have been commenced" to determine whether the document constitutes • a valid will.