CURIOUS WILL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21641, 6 November 1933, Page 6

CURIOUS WILL

PHILOSOPHIC CHINESE PROVERB REGARDING AGE Application has been made for probate of the will of a Chinese market dealer, who died recently in Sydney. The will has been translated thus:— "The proverb says, 'Do not detain a person 60 years of age for the night; do not keep one of 70 years to dinner.' These words are true, indeed. I am already 65 years old. In these my last 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 bank. If the unexpected happens, the whole of my things, estate and money shall belong to my cousin, Louis Chong, who shall receive. Thus the matter shall be settled and in order."

The will purports to have been executed on "the 21st day of the Republic —the 4th day of the 11th 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.

The document 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 jn Svdnev.

So far as can be ascertained, the estate of the testator consists of £620, boing tbe money contained in two bank deposits. There is said to be a belief among his friends that at one time he possessed much more than this, he being accounted a man of wealth. How or when, or for what'purpose he 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, has methods of giving validity to such documents, and application for probate has been made. It is stated by an authority in such matters that the proverb referred to in the will is one attributed to Confucius. The translation, which is very free, conveys the sense of the phrases with fair clearness—a warning not to entertain people of advanced aco lest they die in the house of their host.