VISCOUNT ROTHERMERE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 282, 27 November 1940, Page 7

VISCOUNT ROTHERMERE.

PRESS MAGNATE PASSES

(Reed, noon.) LONDON, Nov. 26. The death has occurred at Bermuda of Viscount Rothermere, the English Press magnate.

Harold Sidney Harmsworth, later Lord Rotlierinere, was born at Hampstead, England, 72 years ago. At the age of 21 lie joined his brother Alfred, afterwards Lord Xorthcliffe, in his first successful journalistic venture, the publication of "Answers." The brothers worked together for 20 years, becoming two of the most important Press magnates in Britain.

Newspapers with which he was at various times associated were the "EvenNews," the "Daily Mail," "The Times,'' the "Daily Mirror," the "Sunday Pictorial" and others.

In November, 1917, Lord Rothermere was appointed Air Minister, resigning in April. 1918. When peace was declared he strongly supported drastic measures against Germany, such as the occupation of the Rulir. but later he changed this attitude. He welcomed the rise of Hitlerisni in Germany because it was hostile to Socialism, protested against that country being kept under a permanent sense of injustice and denounced the "humbug"' of the League of Nations.

He took a kpen interest in Hungarian affairs, and at one time announced that he had received repeated and influential requests to offer himself as a candidate for the vacant throne of Hungary.

He was a generous benefactor and gave large sums to Oxford and Cambridge Universities and other institutions.

His son, the Hon. Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, is his heir.