A WELLINGTON LEGACY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6138, 19 February 1907, Page 3

A WELLINGTON LEGACY

£SOOO FOll JEWISH BLIND. Tho Chief Justice had an interesting task to perform yesterday morning, involving tho allotment of a legacy of £SOOO of Wellington money left for blind Jews. The testator was tho late Mr Jacob Joseph, a retired merchant, of N> ollington, who died about four years ago, leaving an estate proved at £200,000. In his will appeared tho following clause:— “I give and bequeath to my trustees a sum of £SOOO upon trust, to expend tho same within five years after my death in the erection of a building or buildings or any addition or additions to any building or buildings in tho Metropolitan District of London, in England, on land at tho time of such expenditure devoted to charitable uses,” the building to bo called by his name and used in such manner os tho trustees thought fit, “for tho relief of the indigent blind, of tho Jewish persuasion.” Mr Joseph Joseph, the testator’s only son, who was made trustee of the estate, recently went to London to find an institution worthy of the legacy. Ho found that the society which came nearest to filling the requirements was the Society for the ilohef of Indigent Blind of tho Jewish Persuasion, but tho operations of this institution were restricted to outdoor patients, as it was found that the blind wore best off in their own homes. Tho authorities, therefore, were not willing to erect buildings to take indoor patients. Mr Joseph, however, arranged, with the president, Sir George Faudel Phillips, subject to sanction of the Supreme Court of Ne.v Zealand, to grant his institution £ISOO. He then returned to New Zealand and arranged, subject to sanction, to grant the remaining £3500 to the Jubilee Institute for tho Blind at Auckland, where the money would be spent in extensions. This was the position about a year ago, when the sanction of the Supreme Court in Wellington was sought. The Court then, after hearing the application, directed that advertisements should be inserted m the London “Times” that everybody interested in tho welfare of Jewish blind should be informed of the proposals. As a result of these notifications, the authorities of the Home for Aged Jews, of Wandsworth, London, put in a claim for tho whole £SOOO, and structed Mr Skerrett to act on their behalf. . Mr Harold Johnston was engaged as -counsel for the trustees, and Mr Chapman for the beneficiaries and infants concerned under the will. . Tho merits of the three claimant bodies were put fully before the Chief Justice, and it was stated that the Wandsworth authorities were prepared to take a number of blind Jews into their home to comply with the terms of the will. His Honor said it appeared to him that the testator’s intention was to give the money for the Jewish blind of London. That being the case, it did not appear that it would bo right for the Court to change it to New Zealand, as would be tho case it the Auckland Institute for the Blind wore to receive £3500. On the other baud, the mere admission of a fee.’ blind patients into the “Wandsworth Home tor Aged Jews would scarcely entitle that institution to the money. The money was not for aged Jews, but wholly for the London Jewish blind. If the Society ror the Belief of Indigent Jewish Blind consented to 'part of the money being given to a New Zealand institution, and the beneficiaries consented, that course might perhaps be adopted. He would take time to consider.