AN AUSTRALIAN ROMANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 427, 27 September 1869, Page 3

AN AUSTRALIAN ROMANCE.

Some remarkable litigation is expected to result from a case which has just been brought to light in Liverpool. It is said to arise out of the disputed succession to some heritable property in Ireland, left by a gentleman in that country to a lady and her husband, not long since returned from Australia. The story is singular, if not romantic. Forty years ago a stonemason named M'lutyre left Glasgow to settle in Dublin. There he married a young woman named M'Gee, of humble birth. A year or two afterwards M'lntyre and his wife, accompanied by their daughter, went out to Australia. At that time the only means of access to the colony was by transport ships, conveying convicts from this country, and these vessels, in addition to the convicts, occasionally carried a few passengers. In the course of the voyage, the surgeon's wife, who had no family, took a great liking to M'lntyre's little girl. The ship was wrecked, M'lntyre, his wife, aud the surgeon's lady being amongst those who perished. The surgeon escaped, and he rescued the child. After an interval of some months, the surgeon and his little charge arrived in Australia, where he ultimately realised a large fortune. He brought the child up as his own, and remained there long enough to see her the | wife of a wealthy colonist. Having done this, the surgeon returned to Ireland, his native country, and purchased a large estate in the county of Wicklow. He then sent for his adopted child and her husband, who obeyed the summons; and not long after their arrival he died, bequeathing to them the whole of his property. Some of the Scotch relatives of the surgeon now claim the property. Within the last two or three weeks three persons have arrived in Liverpool from Australia, who have been brought over specially as witnesses in the case if they should be required. The will of the doctor is disputed, as in the document the lady is treated as his child.