Moses Rees

Source: www.paperspast.natlib.govt.nz - Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVII, Issue LVII, 22 March 1910, Page 4

Sixty years go (says the Feilding Star) one Moses Rees made a will in the Old Country, leaving his property, now valued at about 700 pound to his relatives. He had two brothers in New Zealand, one of whom (George) left his property to the Wanganui Education Board (3000 pounds) for secondary education purposes. Recently Messrs Gifford Moore and Beale, solicitors, of Palmerston North, were instructed by the heirs of the other brother (Joesph) to endeavour to recover the value of the estate. They asked the Board to share half the costs, but the Board declined to embark in a "fishing expedition", and subsequently consented to pay half the costs out of what property was recovered. It now turns out that owing to the peculiar law in force in England at the time, bequests of real estate for charitable purposes are void, so Joesph Rees' heirs will get the lot.