TESTAMENTARY BILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 23 February 1931, Page 6

TESTAMENTARY BILL

(Unitea Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 20tli February. M iss Rathbone’s Bill, preventing a husband or wife from bequeathing their entire estate to outsiders or charities, leaving their dependants unprovided for, was read a second time in the House of Commons by 149 votes to 28. The Bill sets out that a widowed wife must receive half the personal estate and half the income of the remainder if the couple are childless, and onethird if there are children up to a gross income of £2OOO. The children, before the completion of their education, must receive half the remainder of the income, divided equally, up to £3OO per annum each. It was pointed out that Scotland had such a law a- century ago, while some of the Dominions, notably New Zealand, gave the Courts discretion to relieve hard cases. England, however, has given entire testamentary freedom, resulting in hardships in some cases.