MEN AND MILLIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9897, 30 August 1919, Page 3

MEN AND MILLIONS.

A U STR ALIA N EX A .MP I. KS

John Stuart Mill, the political economist, declared that the wealth of a nation was the reflex of its energy and industry. This precept (says Sydney "Sun") is applicable to many of the great pioneers of Australia;—men who have surmounted all difficulties, and have risen to be captains of the pastoral, commercal, and other industries. By indomitable energy these men of grit and stamina lived to experience the gratification of being placed amongst the leaders of the Australian Commonwealth.

Australia, unlike, the U.S.A., cannot boast of serried- ranks of millionaires.. Much more difficult it is in this young continent to amass the wealth of a millionaire than it is in America, with its 103,000,000 people and, its infinite money-making avenues. New South Wales statistics disclose that she is the wealthiest of'the States of-the Australian union/and that she possesses many wealthy men; but few millionaires. . : *"■'• Amongst,.these -phenomena -must . be. included' the late Sir Samuel McCaughey, who, it is said, has left a net estate "of at least £2,000,000. Here was a man who had carved out his own fortune in this great southern land because he possessed that energy wli'ich Mill speaks of as the reflex of a .nation. In the making of this £2,000,000 and all which' he gave away in his lifetime Sir Samuel McCaughey amassed it in no miserly sense. That "huge fortune represents more than the mere wealth of the great sheepbreeder. It represents the measure of the impetus his energy and industry gave to the pastoral' pursuits, not only of New South Wales, but the Commonwealth of Australia. Sir Samuel's munificence as a benefactor, national and individual, need not he expatiated upon here. Although the shepherd king amassed £2,000,000 and more, still that colossal fortune recedes by almost £1,000,000 in comparison with that of another great New South Wales magnate—not pastoral, commercial—the late Mr Samuel Hordern, the father of the young knight, Sir .Samuel Hordern. • \ ■Mr Hordern, whose .capacity and industry left the firm of Anthony Hordern and Sons one of the richest and foremost in any part of the globe, died on August 13, 1909, leaving a net fortune of £2,925,924. The .estate of the late Mr Walter Hall, the Potts Point millionaire, fell, short of that of Mr Samuel Hordern by £600,000—£2,309,957— and. his widow/Eliza Rowdon Hall, who died on February 14, 1916, at Potts Point, left an estate valued, for probate purposes «.t £802,443. Many and large were the ■^eneiactions of husband and wife. '" . Long before James Tyson died m Queensland in 1899, there was a belie! amongst the pastoralists of the Commonwealth that "Jimmy" was thrice a millionaire. He didn't make a will, and furnished the pretext for considerable litigation by claimants. His New South Wales estate was valued at £560,113, but his pastoraland other interests throughout the Commonwealth were estimated at at least another £1,500,000. Another Australian who amassed a, huge fortune was Sir ■ Robert' Lucas-' Tooth, who represented Monaro in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly many years ago.. He died on February 19, 1916, in England, where he had a magnificent estate. , The New South Wales portion of his estate was sworn at £905,000, and his English estate at £276,000. He had been -in England since 1883 3 but' the bulk of his wealth was accumulated in commercial pursuits in New South Wales. Sir James Reading Fairfax, senior proprietor of the Sydney "Morning Herald," was long reputed to be an Australian millionaire. He died a few months ago, and. the gross estate was then before the .Probate Office at £587,997. The name of Dangar is also synonymous with wealth, and when Mr A.' A. Dangar, M.L.C., who owned Baroona and other station properties in the Commonwealth, died, it Avas anticipated that he would take his place amongst the select few Australian pastorafist millionaire*, but those who made predictions were in -error. He died April 5, 1913, and left an estate valued at £304,945. . „,'■•' Clive Collingwood Dangar died during the war, and his estate was sworn at £331,167. He, too, was a pastoralist. . Another well-known man, reputed to •have been a millionaire, was the late James McMahon, who died a few years ago. He was the founder of the firm of McMahon and Co.,' carriers. Mr McMahon failed to reach the million mark, but got half-way, his estate being sworn at something over £500,000. It is not always men who accumulate large fortunes, as instanced by the will of Mrs K. S. Smith, of Double Bay. She died on May 9 last, and loft an estate valued at £191,000.

Many people were prone to. string million's around the Jiame of the lateMr James Cassins WSJiamson, but. he had to disappoint their expectations with a modest £193,000. He died July 6, 1913. In a like manner, the late Mr Harry Richards (Benjamin Henry I-eete) was credited with the wealth of a Crocesus, but had to' disappoint them. His estate was alued at £134,999. He died October 13, 1911. John Brown, the "Coal King." and Sidney Kidman, the "Cattle" King," wear the halo of Australian millionaires, but their strides will' have to be long and strong to beat the Hordern millions, and the McCaughey millions.