Widow and Unmarried Consort Share Estate

Horowhenua Chronicle, 5 December 1929, Page 7

Widow and Unmarried Consort Share Estate

SAILOR-FARMER’S CAREER.

ONE GETS INSURANCE, THE OTHER HIS FARM,

HAMILTON, Last Night,

Rival claims of a wife and unmarried consort to the estate of Richard St ovens, deceased, a farmer of Te KuSti was decided by Mr Justice Herdman iv the Supreme Court to-day. He granted a declaration that Stevens’ farm, which be held by the Public Trustee in trust for Amelia Alice Harwell, with whom deceased had laved as her husband since 1909, she having two daughters by him. While in the Navy, deceased married a girl of Malta, in 1892 and she and a son still survive. Deceased had not communicated with her since 1909. The money with which the farm was bought was taken from Miss Harwell’s savings, the bank account representing partly her own savings and partly profit on the homo which they had bought, and then sold, at Wanganui. The widow, in Malta, had already received Stevens' £2OO life insurance but the judge decided Miss Harwell was entitled to the farm property. Stevens died intestate.