MARRIAGE OFFER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22391, 11 April 1936, Page 10

MARRIAGE OFFER

EICH EETIEED FABMEE WOMAN'S SHREWD LETTER HALF HIS WORLDLY GOODS [by telegraph —OWN correspondent] GISBORNE, Thursday The recent publication of the life story of Mr. Isaiah McSaveney, the ninety-seven-year-old retired farmer who, in the course of an adventurous life, has amassed considerable interests, has had an unexpected sequel in a written proposal of marriage from a woman less than half hi 3 age. She offers to care for him during the remaining years of his life on condition that he endows her with half his worldly wealth. In her letter the correspondent asks Mr. McSaveney why he is leaving New Zealand after having done so well in the Dominion. She also asks if he would not rather marry and settle down with a nice, kind, little wife. It has E»een her wish, she states, to meet a man from 65 to 95 years of age with a view to marriage. A condition is that the man would make a marriage settlement on her of half whatever he had of " money, property, land, shares and the like." Suggestions of laying a small island and making their home in the north are tendered. When the home was finished a trip to England and Ireland would be undertaken by the happy couple. Her argument is that no man can live without a woman, and although he has done so for 97 years, Mr. McSaveney will be all the better if he marries. She wishes to be married straight away and explains that-as this is leap year she is quite within her rights. As Mr. McSaveney cannot read or write, the letter was read out to him by a friend. He does not take the matter seriously and still intends to make hii proposed trip to Adelaide.