$500,000 library bequest hailed - but who is the man behind it?

Hastings District War Memorial Library. Photo / Paul Taylor

Book lovers and library-lovers in Hastings could be set to enjoy $500,000 of new items - all thanks to a mystery - and now deceased- benefactor.

Hastings District Council's community development committee this week was told a bequest had been made by Mr Peter David Arthur, a former lifelong resident of Hastings who passed away in September 2016.

The donation was made to Hastings District Libraries through his estate. A final settlement has yet to be made, but it is likely to be in the order of $510,000.

A staff report to Hastings District Council's community development committee said the terms of the will request that the gift be used for the provision of large print and talking books.

Community Development Committee chairman, councillor Malcolm Dixon said the gift would be greatly appreciated but added that not much was know about the man behind the gift.

"It seems that we know very little about Mr Arthur, however we are very grateful for this enormously generous gift.

"We will use the funds for the purposes he intended, which is to purchase resources that are useful to the partially sighted and the blind. As part of the decision-making our staff will be working with those groups to see what their library needs are most likely to be as we look to the future.

"As we all know, we are an ageing population, and with age comes an increase in the likelihood that people suffer conditions that make it more difficult to enjoy reading. There is no doubt that this targeted gift will be greatly appreciated by many."

An obituary published in Hawke's Bay Today on September 17, 2016, seemed to indicate Mr Arthur was might have been a pharmacist - referring to him as a well respected and devoted member on the Board of the Hastings and District UFS (United Friendly Societies) Association.

Peter David Arthur passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning September 14, 2016 at Brittany House, aged 78.