Editorial: Where the money should go

OPINION: Gerald Hope has opened up a hornet's nest with his comments surrounding the bequest of Marlborough man Arthur Harrison.

The long term Marlborough resident who died in a house fire last year left $10 million in his will to the Canterbury Museum and absolutely nothing for Marlborough.

Mr Harrison's passing over of Marlborough prompted Mr Hope to write to The Marlborough Express, calling for people to give their money to local causes.

Mr Hope has stated what a lot of us are thinking – what's wrong with Marlborough! Did Mr Harrison have something against us?

Wills are always a touchy subject, the source of much dissent among families. And this is a debate about what a stranger did with his money.

The story of Mr Harrison's wealth and bequest is even more amazing because he managed to make and then save millions and millions of dollars yet lived in a run-down house. Is this the classic story of a miser in our midst?

To some extent we can talk about Mr Harrison in such terms because one: well, he is dead and two; he doesn't have close family living in the area. It gives us a certain licence to be freer with our comments than might normally be the case.

Mr Hope's comments have also roused indignation because it's just not something many people would talk about. Older generations, and some younger people as well would consider it the height of bad manners and definitely unseemly.

What people do with their money has always been their business.

Really, there is no other conclusion to be drawn than Mr Harrison has every right to leave his money to whomever or whatever he wants. It may rile us, or mystify us, but it was his choice.

It is indeed a great shame that so much money went out of the province and Mr Hope's heart is in the right place. He is advocating on behalf of the many volunteer organisations around the province and the good work they do.

He is chairman of the the Marlborough Hospice Trust. And when you are fighting for money to keep volunteer organisations ticking over, perhaps it is fair enough that protocols go out the window. Mr Hope argued in his letter he had no qualms about what Mr Harrison chose to do, he was just directing would be donors in another direction – though not may people would read it like that.

But all this discussion has been one sided. What perhaps has been left out of the argument is what Mr Harrison did while he was alive.

And at the very least, maybe we should all make a pilgrimage to Canterbury Museum to see what Mr Harrison saw. Our provincial attitudes may be tested.

- The Marlborough Express

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