WILL OF CHINESE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 288, 2 November 1933, Page 8

WILL OF CHINESE.

A PHILOSOPHIC DEALER

PROVERB OF AGE

Application lias been made in Sydney lor probate of the will of a Chinese market dealer, who died recently. It is in many ways a curious document. The will has been trails- j lated thus: — , , . : “'ihe proverb says, ‘Do not detain, a person 60 years of age for the night; do not keep one of VO years to dinner.’ These words are true, indeed. I am already 65 years old. In these my Inst years I am like a candle in the wind. After my illness in the past month I am always afraid that morning will not vouchsafe evening. During many years, by. my sweat and blood, I collected some little money. Its balance is deposited in the bank. If the unexpected happens, the whole or my things, estate, and money shall belong to my cousin, Louis Chong, who shall receive. Thus the, matter shall he settled and in order.” The will purports to have been executed on “fhe 21st day of the Republic tire 4th day of the eleventh month,” and the signature of the testator, Louis On, also known as Ah On, is followed by the words, “written by himself.” Clearly these words do not refer to the body of the document, for the testator was a man of little learning, and the will is obviously the work of a master of classical Chinese. It is exquisitely written in a language which is said to be beyond the powers of any Chinese in Australia to render into anything more than approximate English. It is supposed to have been prepared in China for the. testator by some learned scribe, and to have been executed by him at Sydney. _ So far as can be ascertained, the estate of the testator consists of £620, being the money contained in two bank deposits. There is said to be a belief among his friends that at one time lie possessed much more than this he being accounted a man of wealth. How or when, or for what purpose lie disposed of his securities, appears to be a mystery. The will is imperfect in that there is no attestation clause, and execution had not been witnessed. The law, however, lias methods of giving vand itv to such documents, and application for probate cum testamento annexo has been made. It was stated by an authority in such matter that the proverb referred to ill the will is one attributed to Confucius. Tire translation, which is very free, conveys the sense of the phrases with fair clearness—a warning not to entertain people of advanced age least they die in the house oi their host.