KING EDWARD'S WARDS.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1417, 29 November 1904, Page 6

KING EDWARD'S WARDS.

CHILDREN FOR WHOSE WELFARE THE KING ?S RESPONSIBLE. In the strictest sense of the law, King Edward is at the present moment guardian of every person in the United Kingdom whose father is decensed and who is under twenty-one years of age, and his Majesty is therefore legally responsible for the maintenance of his numerous wards until they have reached the age of twenty-one. | Hundreds of years ago a law was passed making the Sovereign the | lawful guardian of every orphan, and' that law has never been repealed. The Sovereign, however, being rath- , er a busy person, long since delegated j the duties of looking after the nation's orphans to the Lord Chancellor, and gave that high dignitary almost unlimited control over his charges, who are legally known by the term, wards in Chancery. Any man when he dies Can appoint his children under his will wards of Chancery, and the High Chancellor would, legally speaking, become responsible for their maintenance until they hud reached the age of twentyone. This is, of course, a legal absurdity, for in practice it would mean that j the Lord Chancellor would have to support out of his own pocket the children of every parent who had nothing to bequeath to his family. N T o child, therefore, is ever made a ward of Chancery unless thero is a reasonable sum of money available for his support until he comes of The prospective incomes of the Lord Chancellor's wards vary, however, very considerably ; some will at twenty-one lie masters of a few hundred thousands per annum, whilst others will ihave to be satisfied with a modest couple of nundred a year. A guardian who is usually some male relutivo of the child, is appointed to look after the general welfare of the ward in Chancery uud to advise the Lord Chancellor upon the best wuy of educating and preparing the ward generally for his future career. Anyone, however, who is supposed to have a reasonable intcrese. in tinward's welfare, can also advise the Lord Chancellor upon such matters, and such a person is legally * Known as the ward's "next friend," tlio guardian being supposed to be his first friend. The Court of Chancery need not of necessity act upon the advice of the guardian or next friend, and, as a matter of fact, the Court, under, of course, the dinttion of the Lord Chancellor,' often decide themselves what is the best way of educating and maintaining their wards, a way frequently opposed altogether to the wishes of tiho guardian. For instance, not long since the gunrdinn of a boy who was heir to the not very large fortune of l"!OI) per annum, applied to the Court of Chancery for liberty to send the boy to Eton. The Lord Chancellor very properly decided that so expensive a place would be unsuitable to send a hoy to - who had not very much means, and ordered him to be sent instead to a first-rate grammar school. ... The Lord Chancellor has frequently to exercise his own discretion in deciding what is the best thing to be done for the ward's welfare, and. in doing so, will occasionally refuse to comply with the terms of a parent's will. Some time ago a man died leaving his son £IO,OOO a year, but stated in his will that only £2OO a year should be spent on the boy's education and maintenance until he came of age. To the boy's mother, who was the second wife of this testator, he bequeathed .010 a year. The boy was rather delicate and could not be Rent to school, and lived, therefore, with his mother. The Lord Chancellor directed that the motner should be allowed £25011 a year in order that she might maintain a fitting position for her son. who was heir to so big a fortune as £IO,OOO. Girls who are wards o'f Chancery frequently petition the Lord Chancellor for leave to marry. If there is no reasonable objection to the man the permission is often granted, but the Lord Chancellor is a very hard individual to satisfy, as many a girl knows. Jf she cannot get the yermission, she must wait until she is !w-eii-iy-one to get the man of her choice.