PUBLIC BEQUESTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 12

PUBLIC BEQUESTS

AUCKLAND AND LONDON BLOCKHOUSE BAY RESIDENT SUMS LEFT TO GOVERNMENTS AMOUNT FOR NEW ZEALAND Bequests to four Auckland religious organisations and to several English hospitals are made under the will of the late Mr. Ronald Edwin Prodgers, of D6novan Street, Blockhouse Bay, who died on September 23. The residue of the estate, of which the Public Trustee is the executor, is estimated at £25,000. After payment of legacies, the will provides that one-third of the residue is to be divided equally among eight institutions, each of which is to receive the income on its share of the estate. Each will receive the equivalent of the annual interest on approximately £IOOO in the meantime. Missions and Hospitals The beneficiaries are: —• The Church of England Orphan Home, Papatoetoe, for general purposes. The Auckland City Mission, for general purposes. The Sister Esther Benevolent Fund of the Presbyterian Church, Auckland, for work among the poor and needy. The vicar and church wardens of the St. Saviour's Church, Blockhouse Bay, for the building fund of the church. The Lock Hospital, Harrow Road, London, for general purposes. St. Mark's Hospital, City Road, London, for general purposes. St. Dunstan's Home, Regent's lark, London, for general purposes. The Prince of Wales Fund for London hospitals, for general purposes. On the termination of. a life interest, the will provides for the division of the whole estate into 20 equal parts, eight of which are bequeathed to the Chancellqr of the Exchequer for the general purposes of the consolidated funds" of the British Treasury and a further four parts to the Minister of Finance in New Zealand for the general purposes of the consolidated funds of the New Zealand Treasury. The remainder will be divided equally among the eight organisations mentioned previously. Member of Noted Family

Born at Kington, St. Michael, Wiltshire, in 1863, the late Mr. Prodgers was able to trace lineal descent from Edward Prodgers, Groom of the Chambers to King Charles 11. The family was a noted sporting and exploring one, and a brother of Mr. Prodgers, Mr. Cecil H. Prodgers, spent many years as an explorer in Bolivia and 1 Peru. Another brother, the Rev. Charles Prodgers, is one of the leading English yachtsmen. Mr. Prodgers spent some years jn Africa and Australia, coming to New Zealand in 1923 on a holiday tour. Ho settled in Auckland 10 years ago. He was a staunch supporter of the Dominion's fishing and sporting attractions. He was married in 1926 to a daughter of Mr. David L. Baird. a •well-known Scottish mining authority, and he is survived by his wife. A very generous giver in his lifetime, many local charities benefited substantially from Mr. Prodgers' liberality. He was a frequent donor to English' charities and made benefactions totalling many thousands of pounds during his lifetime.

TWO LARGE GIFTS INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND CRIPPLED CHILDREN'S SOCIETY Bequests of approximately £4BOO each to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind and the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children's Society are provided in the will of the late Mr. Charles Elia Lamb, of Te Aroha, who died on September 25. Subject to a life interest, the residue of the estate, which is estimated at £9600 after providing for legacies, is to be divided equally between the two organisations. The will also provides for a legacy of £IOOO, free of duties and subject to the life interest, to the Presbyterian Church, Te Aroha. The bequest is to be applied to the church manse building fund. - Probate of the will, of which the Public Trustee is executor and trustee, was granted by the Supreme Court on October 1, the estate being sworn at under £30,000.