TOWN'S SITE FOR £350.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 72, 24 March 1923, Page 19

TOWN'S SITE FOR £350.

BITTER ROMANCE OF JOHANNESBURG. It Is not generally known tbat the site of Johannesburg, South Africa, and a large quantity of the surrounding land was once bought for the insignificant sum of £350; but it is nevertheless the case. The eretwhile owner became the sport of cruel fortune, and for somo time was an Inmate of Gulklford Workhouse Infirmary. Starting life in the service of the old East India Company, be fought In the Crimean War, being seriously wounded at the fall of Sebastopol. and also saw active service in the Indian Mutiny. Leaving India, he went to South Africa, where he saw more fighting, taking up arms against the Zulus and Boers. Before the Transvaal was made over to the Boers he purchased for £350 some 150.000 acres of land near the source of the Crocodile River, or the Limpopo, with a view to settling upon it. Tbe rising of the Boers, however, prevented his enjoyment of the property, and when the Republic was declared in 18S0. ho received an offer from President Kruger to accept service under the Republic. He refused the offer, and as a consequence his land was confiscated. This land is now valued at many millions sterling.

Some employees ovith great presence or mind went to look after the Insect House. Others formed a cordon and were promptly eh'arged by the bear. An official had a foram wave, and he Instructed his army to retreat ln the direction of Barbara's sleeping quarters. Charge followed charge and the human ground-bait !ured her nearer home until she found herself at the beginning of a trail af fatgreat luinpe of it. ■Barbara did the rest. In a heavenly dream she ate and ate and ate until a loua clang roused her. She had eaten her way back Into prison. And then, and not tin then, the head keeper fell down in a at!