WILL HELD INVALID

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26242, 28 August 1946, Page 8

WILL HELD INVALID

SPINSTER’S £8836 ESTATE

Because neither of the two witnesses saw the other sign nor saw the testatrix sign two papers purporting to be the will of Julia Cecilia Slattery, the will was held to be invalid in the Supreme Court at New Plymouth. They did not comply with the terms of the Wills Act and Miss Slattery was therefore held to have died intestate

Miss Slattery, a retired school teacher, who had lived at Hawera and New Plymouth, died on July 8, 1945, leaving an estate of £8836. Among her papers were found two documents. On the first she directed that her money should be left to various named persons, and on the second she disposed of personal jewellery. Both documents were witnessed with the signatures of Frederick John Arnold, Hawera. and Mrs N. E. Pigott, New Plymouth, but in affidavits and personal evidence both said they were each alone with Miss Slattery at the time they signed the papers. They could not depose to having seen ceftain strikings out and interlineations. Neither witness knew the other

Mr justice Cornish issued letters of administration to the plaintiff, Mrs Margaret Ellen Long, whose counsel intimated that Miss Slattery’s wishes as expressed on the two papers would be adhered to as closely as possible in the distribution of the estate.