The disposal of a legacy made in 1907 by Mr. James Tulloch for the now defunct Shanghai Boys' Brigade was the subject of an applicxtion to his Honour Judge Skinner Turner at H. M. Supreme Court Thursday.
Mr. E. L. Hartopp, appearing for the trustees (Mr. T. E. Trueman and Mr. W. F. Inglis) informed the Court that the Shanghai Boys Brigade ceased to exist in 1913, and the legacy passed to their successors, the Shanghai Boy Scouts. This organization was disbanded in 1914, and_ the trustees now applied to be relieved of their trusteeship, and asked for directions as to the disposal of the fund, originally amounting to Ts. 2,500. The matter came before Sir Havilland de Sausmarez in March of this year, and he ordered inquiry to be made as to any similar organization existing to which the fund might properly be devoted.
In this connexion, the Crown Advocate (Mr. H. P. Wilkinson) read an affidavit giving the result of his inquiries in the matter, and from which it appeared that the Baden-Powell Boy Scouts is the only existing organization with any claim to succession under the terms of the legacy.
Mr. H. Browett, who appeared on behalf of the Baden-Powell Boy Scouts, the only applicant to the fund, called Mr. I. D. Macdonald, who gave evidence that there were other than British members in the Boys' Brigade. When this organization was disbanded some of its members joined the Shanghai Boy Scouts, and when this body ceased to exist, a few members joined the Baden-Powell Scouts. Membership was at first confined to British boys, but it had now been widened, and to all intents and purposes the organization was similar to that of the original Boys' Brigade.
Mr. Browett submitted that, the Baden-Powell Scouts were on the same footing as the Shanghai Boys' Brigade, they should have the benefit of the legacy.
His Lordship—Are you prepared to accept it as a pecuniary legacy, and so end the trust altogether?
Mr. Browett—Yes, my Lord.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.