The Carter Bequest.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 59, 1928, Page 959

The Carter Bequest. Extracts from the Will of Charles Rooking Carter. This is the last will and testament of me, Charles Rooking Carter, of Wellington, in the Colony of New Zealand, gentleman. I revoke all wills and testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me, and declare this to be my last will and testament. * * * * * I give to the Colonial Museum in Wellington the large framed photographs of the members of the General Assembly in the House of Representatives in the year 1860, and the framed pencil sketch of the old House of Commons, and the framed invitation-card to the Lord Mayor's dinner. * * * * * As regards the following books, of which I am the author, and which are now stored in three boxes—namely, (1) “The Life and Recollections of a New Zealand Colonist,” (2) “A Historical Sketch of New Zealand Loans,” and (3) “Round the World Leisurely”—I direct that my executor shall retain possession of the same for a period of seven years, commencing from the date of my death, and that at the end of such period my executor shall place the same in the hands of Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs (Limited) or some other capable and responsible booksellers in the City of Wellington, for sale, and so that the same shall be sold at such a price as will yield

to my estate not less than six shillings per volume in respect of the first-named and second-named, and two shillings and sixpence in respect of the last-named works; and I further authorize my executor to sell and dispose of the copyright or right to reprint such works; and I direct that the moneys to be derived from the sale of such works and the privileges connected therewith shall be added to the sum provided for the purchase of a telescope as hereinafter mentioned. I direct my executor to subscribe the sum of fifty pounds towards the erection of a suitable brick room in which to house the priceless collection of books on New Zealand some time since given by me to the Colonial Museum and the New Zealand Institute. I give and devise unto the Public Trustee appointed under and in pursuance of an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand intituled the Public Trust Office Act, 1894 (hereinafter called “my trustee”), all the rest, residue, and remainder of my property whatsoever and wheresoever situate, both real and personal, and whether in possession, reversion, expectancy, or remainder, upon trust, as to my freehold property at East Taratahi, containing by admeasurement two thousand one hundred and seventy-two acres, and being and comprising the whole of the land included in certificate of title, volume 51, folio 79, of the books of the District Land Registrar for the Registration District of Wellington, (save and except such part of the said land, being portion of the section numbered 117 in the Taratahi Plain Block, as is hereinafter devised to my trustee for the purposes hereinafter appearing), and direct that my trustee shall stand possessed of the same lands upon trust, to let and manage the same, and to pay and apply the rents and annual income in manner following, namely:— * * * * * And as to all the residue and remainder (if any) of the said net proceeds of the sale, conversion, and getting-in of my estate as aforesaid, my trustee shall transfer the same to the Governors for the time being of the New Zealand Institute at Wellington, to form the nucleus of a fund for the erection in or near Wellington aforesaid, and the endowment of a Professor and staff, of an Astronomic Observatory fitted with telescope and other suitable instruments for the public use and benefit of the colony, and in the hope that such fund may be augmented by gifts from private donors, and that the Observatory may be subsidized by the Colonial Government; and without imposing any duty or obligation in regard thereto I would indicate my wish that the telescope may be obtained from the factory of Sir H. Grubb, in Dublin, Ireland. * * * * * * Resolution regarding Investment of Funds (see Clause 4 above), adopted by Board, on 30th January, 1923, and published in the New Zealand Gazette, of 28th May, 1925. That the fund known as the “Carter Bequest,” consisting of the principal originally placed by the Board of Governors in the hands of the Public Trustee, together with the interest accrued thereon, be withdrawn from the Public Trustee and reinvested in such securities as provided for by legislation covering trust-moneys, power to arrange details and to act being given Jointly to the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer acting conjointly.