{"id":"hastie-bequest-act-1887","name":"The Hastie Bequest Act 1887","slug":"the-hastie-bequest-act-1887","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"vic","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":174965,"registerId":"vic-hastie-bequest-act-1887-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"The Hastie Bequest Act 1887","content":"Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documentsi\nVersion No. 001\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\nAct No. 948/1887\nVersion as at 20 September 2001\nTABLE OF PROVISIONS\nSection Page\n1. Short title 7\n2. Trustees to pay £60 000 to the residuary legatees 7\n3. Proportion in which the sum of £60 000 to be divided amongst\nthe residuary legatees 7\n4. The residue of the estate after payment of the sum of £60 000\nto be paid to the assignees of the next of kin 9\n5. Trustees may transfer securities for moneys 10\n6. Commission and expenses of Act to be deducted by trustees\nfrom amounts payable under Act 10\n7. Acceptance by representatives of residuary legatees of moneys\nauthorized by Act confirmed 11\n8. Trustees acting in pursuance of this Act released from all\nliability in respect of the estate or the trusts of the will 12\n═══════════════\nENDNOTES 13\n1. General Information 13\n2. Table of Amendments 14\n3. Explanatory Details 15\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents1\nVersion No. 001\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\nAct No. 948/1887\nVersion as at 20 September 2001\nAn Act to authorize the trustees of the will of the late John\nHastie Esquire to distribute the estate of the said John Hastie in\naccordance with an agreement between the next of kin of the\ntestator and the several parties entitled under the will.\nPreamble\nWHEREAS John Hastie late of Corangamite in the\ncolony of Victoria died on the eighteenth day of\nMarch One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six\nhaving by his will dated the twenty-third day of\nJanuary One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six\nbequeathed all his property to Daniel Curdie\nDaniel Mackinnon John Manifold and Peter\nManifold on trust to pay an annuity of Two\nHundred pounds to his mother Jane Hastie (since\ndeceased) during her life (which amount was duly\npaid until her death), and on trust to pay to each of\nhis sisters Mary Hastie and Margaret Gardhouse\n(then Margaret Ingram and in the will called\nMargaret Hastie) and to his brother George Hastie\nwho died in the testator's lifetime Fifty pounds per\nannum during their respective lives, and on trust to\nset aside two sums of One thousand pounds each to\npay the annual proceeds of one of the said sums to\nhis niece Mary Hastie for life and to pay the annual\nproceeds of the other of the said sums to his niece\nJane Anderson (then Jane Hastie) for life, and the\ntestator bequeathed certain other specific legacies\nall of which have been duly paid, and the said\ntestator directed by the said will that after the death\nof the last survivor of his said relatives the said\nJane Hastie his mother George Hastie his brother\nMary Hastie and Margaret Gardhouse (then\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n2\nMargaret Hastie) his sisters and Mary Hastie and\nJane Anderson (then Jane Hastie) his nieces the\ntrustees of his said will should pay assign or make\nover the whole residue of his property estate and\neffects and the securities in which the same should\nhave been invested as therein directed to the person\nor persons who should constitute or be recognised\nas the heads respectively for the time being of the\nUnited Church of Great Britain and Ireland in the\ncolony of Victoria and the Moderator and\nModerators for the time being of the Synod or\nSynods or other Supreme Ecclesiastical Court or\nCourts or such of the Presbyterian Church or\nChurches as recognise and approve of the\nprinciples of church establishment or of a\nconnexion between the Church and State and to the\nUniversity of Melbourne (all of which said bodies\nare hereinafter called the residuary legatees) or to\nany or either of them in such part shares or\nproportions as they the said trustees of his will or\nthe survivor of them should in their discretion and\njudgment think fit:\nAND WHEREAS the said will was duly proved in\nthe Supreme Court of the colony of Victoria by the\nsaid Daniel Curdie Daniel Mackinnon and John\nManifold on the tenth day of May One thousand\neight hundred and sixty-six, and by the said Peter\nManifold on the seventh day of August One\nthousand eight hundred and sixty-seven:\nAND WHEREAS the said John Manifold died on\nthe third day of January One thousand eight\nhundred and seventy-seven, and the said Daniel\nCurdie died on the twenty-second day of February\nOne thousand eight hundred and eighty-four, and\nthe said Peter Manifold died on the thirty-first day\nof July One thousand eight hundred and eighty-\nfive, and the said Daniel Mackinnon as the\nsurviving trustee under and by virtue of an express\nprovision to that effect contained in the said will\nappointed Donald Mackinnon and John William\nCurdie as new trustees of the said will and who are\nPreamble\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n3\nnow together with the said Daniel Mackinnon the\ntrustees of the said will:\nAND WHEREAS at the time of the said testator's\ndeath his mother the said Jane Hastie who has\nsince died intestate, his nephew George Hastie who\nhas since died unmarried and intestate, and the said\nMary Hastie the elder Margaret Gardhouse his\nsisters, and Mary Hastie the younger and Jane\nAnderson his nieces, were the only next of kin of\nthe said testator:\nAND WHEREAS the said Mary Hastie the elder\non the twentieth day of July One thousand eight\nhundred and eighty-two obtained letters of\nadministration for the benefit of herself and the\nsaid Margaret Gardhouse Mary Hastie the younger\nand Jane Anderson to the estate of the said Jane\nHastie deceased:\nAND WHEREAS the said Mary Hastie the\nyounger, on the twentieth day of July One\nthousand eight hundred and eighty-two in like\nmanner and for like purposes obtained letters of\nadministration to the estate and effects of the said\nGeorge Hastie the nephew of the said testator:\nAND WHEREAS by an indenture dated the\nseventeenth day of September One thousand eight\nhundred and eighty-two and made between the said\nMary Hastie the elder Margaret Gardhouse and\nWilliam Gardhouse her husband Mary Hastie the\nyounger and Jane Anderson widow hereinafter\ncalled the next of kin of the one part and James\nBalfour of Melbourne merchant John Mark Davies\nand James Maitland Campbell both of Melbourne\nsolicitors of the other part the said next of kin the\nconsideration therein specified assigned to the said\nJames Balfour John Mark Davies and James\nMaitland Campbell their heirs executors and\nadministrators all the income accumulations and\ninterest arising from the property and estate of the\nsaid John Hastie to which they the said next of kin\nwere entitled in their individual or representative\nrights; and it was agreed and declared in and by the\nPreamble\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n4\nsaid indenture that it should be lawful for the said\nJames Balfour John Mark Davies and James\nMaitland Campbell to agree upon and carry into\neffect any arrangement or composition of the\nclaims rights and interests of the said next of kin\nand of all persons taking through or under them in\nthe estate or in the said income accumulations and\ninterest of the said John Hastie deceased which\nthey the said James Balfour John Mark Davies and\nJames Maitland Campbell should think expedient\nas well with the trustees of the will of the said John\nHastie deceased as also with the representatives of\nthe several institutions and corporations mentioned\nin the said will of the said John Hastie (and herein\ncalled the residuary legatees) and to give their\nconsent to join in any petition to Parliament which\nmight be necessary to obtain an Estate Bill or other\nenactments to give effect to or carry out any such\narrangement or composition:\nAND WHEREAS the trustees have converted the\nreal estate into money, and after payment of\nfuneral and testamentary expenses and the debts of\nthe testator and the various legacies and annuities\nbequeathed by the will the said moneys with the\naccumulations of the income thereof amounted on\nthe eighteenth day of March One thousand eight\nhundred and eighty-seven to One hundred and\nforty-six thousand pounds:\nAND WHEREAS by an Order of the Supreme\nCourt of the Colony of Victoria dated the twelfth\nday of July One thousand eight hundred and\neighty-seven it was declared that the said James\nBalfour John Mark Davies and James Maitland\nCampbell (as assignees of the said next of kin)\nwere entitled to receive from the said Daniel\nMackinnon Donald Mackinnon and John William\nCurdie the trustees of the said will and hereinafter\ncalled the trustees all income received or to be\nreceived on the said sum of One hundred and\nforty-six thousand pounds from the eighteenth day\nof March One thousand eight hundred and eighty-\nPreamble\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n5\nseven till the death of the last survivor of the said\nrelatives of the testator:\nAND WHEREAS the residuary legatees are the\nonly persons entitled to the corpus of the said sum\nof One hundred and forty-six thousand pounds, and\ntheir enjoyment of the said corpus is by the terms\nof the said will postponed until after the death of\nthe last survivor of the said next of kin:\nAND WHEREAS the said James Balfour John\nMark Davies and James Maitland Campbell are the\nonly persons entitled to the income of the said sum\nof One hundred and forty-six thousand pounds\nfrom the said eighteenth day of March One\nthousand eight hundred and eighty-seven until the\ndeath of the last survivor of the said next of kin:\nAND WHEREAS all the parties interested are\ndesirous that in lieu of the distribution amongst the\nsaid residuary legatees of the corpus of the said\nsum of One hundred and forty-six thousand pounds\nbeing postponed until an indefinite future date\ndependent upon the death of the survivor of the\nsaid next of kin they (the said residuary legatees)\nshould immediately receive the sum of Sixty\nthousand pounds (subject to charges for a\nproportionate part of the commission and the\nexpenses of this Act as hereinafter mentioned) in\nfull satisfaction and discharge of the corpus of the\nsaid sum of One hundred and forty-six thousand\npounds and of all claims of whatsoever nature\nwhich they the said residuary legatees may or\nmight hereafter have under the said will or upon\nthe said estate in any manner whatsoever; and the\nsaid trustees of the will of the said John Hastie are\ndesirous with the full consent of all the said\nresiduary legatees that the sum of Sixty thousand\npounds (subject as aforesaid) should be distributed\namongst them the said residuary legatees as\nfollows: To the Church of England in Victoria\nTwenty thousand pounds; to the Presbyterian\nChurch of Victoria Nineteen thousand pounds; to\nthe Free Presbyterian Church of Victoria One\nPreamble\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n6\nthousand pounds; to the University of Melbourne\nTwenty thousand pounds; and the said parties are\ndesirous that the balance of the said One hundred\nand forty-six thousand pounds (less the\nproportionate part of the charges for commission\nas hereinafter mentioned) should be paid to the\nsaid James Balfour John Mark Davies and James\nMaitland Campbell as assignees of the said next of\nkin in full satisfaction and discharge of all claims\nof whatever nature which they the said next of kin\nor which the said next of kin or which the said\nJames Maitland Campbell as their assignees may\nhave or might hereafter have under or in\nconsequence of the provisions of the said will or\nupon the said estate or any part thereof in any\nmanner whatsoever:\nAND WHEREAS the said parties are desirous that\nthe sum of Four thousand five hundred pounds\nshould be paid to the said trustees as commission\nfor their pains and trouble in administering the said\nestate, such commission to be borne by the said\nresiduary legatees and the said assignees of the\nsaid next of kin in the relative proportions of the\namounts to be received by them respectively, and\nthat the said several residuary legatees should bear\nthe expenses of this Act out of the said sum of\nSixty thousand pounds in the relative proportion of\nthe amounts to be received by them respectively:\nAND WHEREAS all the parties interested in the\ntrusts of the said indenture of the seventeenth day\nof September One thousand eight hundred and\neighty-two being of full age and resident in the\ncolony of Victoria have in writing approved the\nsaid arrangement and distribution, and it is\nexpedient that the said trustees should be\nauthorized to carry into effect the said arrangement\nin accordance with the wishes of the said several\nparties interested in the said estates and that they\n(the said trustees) should be indemnified in respect\nthereof: But inasmuch as the said trustees cannot\ncarry into effect the said wishes without the aid\nand authority of Parliament:\nPreamble\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n7\nBE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Queen's Most\nExcellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the\nLegislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria\nin this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of\nthe same as follows:\n1. Short title\nThis Act may for all purposes be cited as The\nHastie Bequest Act.\n2. Trustees to pay £60 000 to the residuary legatees\nIt shall be lawful for the said Daniel Mackinnon\nDonald Mackinnon and John William Curdie and\nthe survivors and survivor of them as the trustees\nor trustee for the time being of the will of the said\nJohn Hastie deceased (hereinafter designated the\nsaid trustees) to pay the sum of Sixty thousand\npounds (subject to the deduction therefrom as\nhereinafter provided of the said proportionate\nshare of the said residuary legatees of the said\ncommission and the full amount of the costs and\nexpenses of obtaining and relating to this Act) to\nthe said residuary legatees distributed in the\nproportions hereinafter provided in full\nsatisfaction and discharge of all claims right title\nor interest whether vested or contingent present or\nprospective of the said residuary legatees or any\nof them or of any person claiming through them to\nor in respect of the said sum of One hundred and\nforty-six thousand pounds or any part thereof or to\nor in respect of any part of the estate of the said\nJohn Hastie under the said will or in any manner\nwhatsoever.\n3. Proportion in which the sum of £60 000 to be\ndivided amongst the residuary legatees\nThe said trustees shall distribute the said sum of\nSixty thousand pounds (subject to the deduction\ntherefrom as hereinafter provided of the said\ns. 1\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n8\nproportionate share of the said commission and\nsubject to the expenses of and relating to this Act\nas aforesaid) amongst the said residuary legatees\nas follows that is to say:\nTo the Right Reverend Field Flowers Goe Doctor\nof Divinity Bishop of Melbourne or to his\nsuccessors in the said Diocese and the Right\nReverend Samuel Thornton Doctor of\nDivinity Bishop of Ballarat or to his\nsuccessors in the Diocese of Ballarat for and\non behalf of the Church of England in\nVictoria the sum of Twenty thousand pounds\nless the said proportionate share of the said\ncommission and of the expenses of and\nrelating to this Act.\nTo the Moderator for the time being of the\nGeneral Assembly of the Presbyterian\nChurch of Victoria for and on behalf of the\nsaid General Assembly the sum of Nineteen\nthousand pounds less the said proportionate\nshare of the said commission and of the\nexpenses of and relating to this Act.\nTo the Moderator for the time being of the Free\nPresbyterian Church of Victoria for and on\nbehalf of the said Free Presbyterian Church\nthe sum of One thousand pounds less the\nsaid proportionate share of the said\ncommission and of the expenses of and\nrelating to this Act.\nTo the Chancellor and Council of the University\nof Melbourne on behalf of the University of\nMelbourne the sum of Twenty thousand\npounds less the said proportionate share of\nthe said commission and of the expenses of\nand relating to this Act.\ns. 3\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n9\n4. The residue of the estate after payment of the sum of\n£60 000 to be paid to the assignees of the next of kin\nIt shall be lawful for the said trustees to pay over\nthe balance of the said sum of One hundred and\nforty-six thousand pounds and any other the\nmoneys remaining in their hands of the said estate\nof the said John Hastie after the payment of the\nsaid sum of Sixty thousand pounds as in the\npreceding sections provided and subject to the\ndeduction therefrom as hereinafter provided of the\nsaid proportionate share of the said commission to\nthe said James Balfour John Mark Davies and\nJames Maitland Campbell as assignees of the said\nnext of kin in full satisfaction and discharge of all\nclaims right title or interest vested or contingent\npresent or prospective of the said next of kin and\nof each and every one of them to all the income\nreceived or receivable on the accumulated corpus\nof the estate of the said John Hastie and in full\nsatisfaction and discharge of all claims right title\nor interest vested or contingent present or\nprospective of the said James Balfour John Mark\nDavies and James Maitland Campbell as such\nassignees of the said next of kin and in full\nsatisfaction and discharge of any claims\nwhatsoever which either the said next of kin or\nany of them or which the said James Balfour John\nMark Davies and James Maitland Campbell as\nsuch assignees may or which but for this Act any\nof them might have upon the said estate or\naccumulations either under or in consequence of\nthe said will or in any manner whatsoever, and the\nsaid James Balfour John Mark Davies and James\nMaitland Campbell shall receive the said moneys\nas such assignees as aforesaid, subject to the\nconditions of the said recited indenture dated the\nseventeenth day of September One thousand eight\nhundred and eighty-two, and subject to the trusts\ntherein created: But the said Daniel Mackinnon\ns. 4\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n10\nDonald Mackinnon and John William Curdie shall\nbe absolutely discharged by the payment of the\nsaid moneys to the said James Balfour, John Mark\nDavies and James Maitland Campbell, and shall\nnot be in any manner responsible for or be in any\nway required to see to the carrying out of the\ntrusts of the said indenture.\n5. Trustees may transfer securities for moneys\nFor the purpose of carrying out and completing\nthe said several payments hereinbefore authorized\nand directed the said trustees shall transfer to the\nsaid residuary legatees the said sum of Sixty\nthousand pounds (subject to the deductions as\nhereinafter provided) in Victorian Government\nInscribed Stock which shall carry all interest\ncurrent at the date of such transfer, and it shall be\nlawful for the said trustees to assign and transfer\nto the said James Balfour John Mark Davies and\nJames Maitland Campbell the residue of the\nvarious debentures mortgages and other securities\nin or upon which such moneys may be invested in\nsuch manner as shall most conveniently carry out\nthe purposes of this Act, and the receipt and\nacknowledgment of such payments and transfers\nby the several persons to whom the same are\nhereby authorized to be made shall be a sufficient\ndischarge and release to the said trustees from all\nliabilities in respect of such moneys and\nsecurities.\n6. Commission and expenses of Act to be deducted by\ntrustees from amounts payable under Act\nBefore making the said several payments and\ntransfers by this Act authorized to be made to the\nsaid residuary legatees and to the said James\nBalfour John Mark Davies and James Maitland\nCampbell respectively it shall be lawful for the\nsaid trustees to deduct and retain out of the several\ns. 5\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n11\namounts to be so paid or transferred to the said\nresiduary legatees and to the said James Balfour\nJohn Mark Davies and James Maitland Campbell\nthe said commission of Four thousand five\nhundred pounds, and to deduct also out of the\namounts to be paid or transferred to the said\nresiduary legatees the amount of the expenses of\nand relating to this Act such several deductions as\nhereinbefore authorized to be made from such\nseveral respective payments and transfers in the\nrelative proportions of the amounts to be so paid\nand transferred to the said several residuary\nlegatees and to the said James Balfour John Mark\nDavies and James Maitland Campbell\nrespectively.\n7. Acceptance by representatives of residuary legatees\nof moneys authorized by Act confirmed\nThis Act shall be read and construed as\nauthorizing and confirming the acceptance by the\nsaid Field Flowers Goe Bishop of Melbourne and\nSamuel Thornton Bishop of Ballarat on behalf of\nthe Church of England in Victoria, and the said\nModerator for the time being of the General\nAssembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria\non behalf of the Presbyterian Church in Victoria,\nand the said Moderator for the time being of the\nFree Presbyterian Church of Victoria on behalf of\nthe Free Presbyterian Church of Victoria, and the\nChancellor and Council of the University of\nMelbourne on behalf of the University of\nMelbourne, of the several amounts authorized to\nbe paid to them respectively as a composition for\nand in full satisfaction and discharge of all claims\nwhich at any time now or hereafter could be or\ncould have been made by any person or persons\nwhomsoever.\ns. 7\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n12\n8. Trustees acting in pursuance of this Act released\nfrom all liability in respect of the estate or the trusts\nof the will\nUpon the carrying out of the several arrangements\nhereby authorized for the distribution of the said\nestate and accumulations of the said estate of the\nsaid testator John Hastie the said Daniel\nMackinnon Donald Mackinnon and John William\nCurdie their heirs executors and administrators,\nand also the respective estates and effects of the\nsaid John Manifold Daniel Curdie and Peter\nManifold deceased, shall be and they are by virtue\nof this Act for ever released and discharged from\nall claims and liabilities in respect of the said\nestate and of the accumulations of the income\nthereof and of the trusts under the said will of the\nsaid John Hastie, and they or any of them shall not\nin any way whatsoever be answerable in respect\nof the said estate or accumulations or any part\nthereof to any person whomsoever in any court of\nlaw or equity, and they and each of them the said\nDaniel Mackinnon Donald Mackinnon and John\nWilliam Curdie and the said John Manifold Daniel\nCurdie and Peter Manifold deceased as trustees of\nthe said will shall be deemed in all respects to\nhave fully and properly complied with and\nsatisfied the trusts of the said will and to have\ncompletely fully and finally administered the said\nestate.\n═══════════════\ns. 8\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n13\nENDNOTES\n1. General Information\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887 was assented to on 17 December 1887 and\ncame into operation on 17 December 1887.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n14\n2. Table of Amendments\nThere are no amendments made to The Hastie Bequest Act 1887 by Acts\nand subordinate instruments.\nEndnotes\n\nVictorian Legislation and Parliamentary DocumentsAct No. 948/1887\nThe Hastie Bequest Act 1887\n15\n3. Explanatory Details\nNo entries at date of publication.\nEndnotes","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a single-purpose private Act dealing with one specific estate. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of authorizing the Hastie estate distribution. The Act remains frozen in time as a historical settlement mechanism with no broader application."},"complexity_factors":["Extensive preamble (6 pages) setting out complex family history, prior court orders, and multiple agreements, though the operative sections are brief","Multiple parties with similar names (Mary Hastie the elder vs Mary Hastie the younger, multiple Daniel Mackinnons) requiring careful tracking","Cross-references between the Act and an external indenture (deed) dated 17 September 1882","Conditional logic regarding deductions for commission (£4,500) and expenses to be borne proportionally by recipients","Nested beneficiary structures (trustees paying assignees who hold rights for next of kin who inherited from other deceased relatives)","Archaic language and formatting typical of 1887 legislation (\"hereinafter called\", \"indenture\", \"corpus\", \"testator\")"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does:**\n\nThis is a 19th-century Victorian law that settles a family dispute over a deceased farmer's estate. John Hastie died in 1866 leaving behind a complicated will. The will said that after his mother, siblings, and nieces died, the remaining money (about £146,000) should go to various churches and the University of Melbourne. But there was a problem: Hastie's relatives were still alive, so the churches and university couldn't get their money until all those relatives died—which could take decades.\n\n**The solution:**\nEveryone agreed to a compromise. Instead of waiting decades, the churches and university would get £60,000 immediately (split between them), and Hastie's living relatives (or rather, the people representing their interests) would get the remaining £86,000 now rather than waiting for the income to trickle in over years.\n\n**Who gets what:**\n- **Church of England in Victoria**: £20,000\n- **Presbyterian Church of Victoria**: £19,000  \n- **Free Presbyterian Church of Victoria**: £1,000\n- **University of Melbourne**: £20,000\n- **Hastie's relatives** (via their representatives): The remaining £86,000 (minus some fees)\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis law allowed a private family settlement to override the strict terms of a will. Normally, trustees must follow a will exactly. But here, Parliament stepped in to approve a deal where everyone got something immediately rather than waiting indefinitely. The law also protects the trustees from being sued later, and pays them £4,500 for their trouble in managing the estate for over 20 years.\n\n**Key takeaway:** Sometimes when a will creates an impractical situation (like making people wait decades for an inheritance), Parliament can pass a special law to allow a practical settlement that all parties agree to."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The Act departs from the will’s original design by converting the residuary legatees’ contingent, deferred entitlement (payable only after the death of specified relatives) into an immediate, fixed composition of £60,000 distributed among named institutions (ss.2–3), directs the residue to the assignees of the next of kin (s.4), confirms acceptance of the composition as full discharge (s.7) and releases the trustees from all future liability (s.8)."},"complexity_factors":["Private, estate-specific statute altering testamentary dispositions (narrow but legally consequential).","Multiple interested parties with distinct entitlements (Church of England, Presbyterian Church, Free Presbyterian Church, University of Melbourne, and assignees of next of kin).","Immediate composition of contingent future rights into a fixed lump sum (changes timing and valuation of claims) (see ss.2–4).","Statutory deduction and apportionment of a fixed commission (£4,500) and Act costs from payments (s.6) — requires calculation and allocation across payees.","Mandatory transfer of corpus into Victorian Government Inscribed Stock for residuary legatees (s.5) and assignment of remaining securities to assignees (s.5) — practical execution issues.","Trustee discharge and statutory indemnity from further liability once payments/transfers are made (s.8) — extinguishes later enforcement rights and creates finality risk for claimants.","Acceptance confirmation by corporate representatives (bishops, moderators, chancellor and council) — formalities and representative authority must be established (s.7).","Interplay with prior indenture of 17 Sept 1882 affecting assignees’ rights (preamble/s.4) — layered private instruments increase interpretive complexity.","Historical drafting and currency/stock mechanics may require archival or technical interpretation for modern implementation."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act authorises the named trustees to settle John Hastie’s estate by paying £60,000 immediately (to be held in Victorian Government stock) among the residuary legatees and transferring the remaining funds to the assignees of the next of kin, after deducting a £4,500 commission and the Act’s expenses. It confirms the churches’ and the university’s acceptance of those amounts as full satisfaction of their claims and releases the trustees from further liability."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on available information, the Act appears to remain in its original 'as made' form with no substantive amendments. Its scope — managing or giving legal effect to the Hastie bequest — appears unchanged from its original intent, though the practical effect of that scope is now negligible given the passage of over 130 years."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely limited content available for analysis — the legislative text itself is not reproduced, only metadata and version history headers","Historical private act dealing with a single bequest, which by nature tends to be narrow and self-contained","Low interpretive complexity given the singular and specific subject matter","Age of the Act (1887) may create some complexity if cross-referencing with now-repealed companion legislation or historical legal frameworks"],"plain_english_summary":"The Hastie Bequest Act 1887 is a Victorian private law that gave legal effect to a specific bequest in the estate of someone named Hastie — a narrowly targeted statute dealing with one person’s gift or inheritance.\n\nToday it affects virtually no one: beneficiaries from 1887 are long gone, and the Act survives only as a dormant historical relic on the statute book with no practical relevance."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/the-hastie-bequest-act-1887","history":"/api/acts/the-hastie-bequest-act-1887/history","analysis":"/api/acts/the-hastie-bequest-act-1887/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/the-hastie-bequest-act-1887/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/the-hastie-bequest-act-1887/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/the-hastie-bequest-act-1887/documents"}}