MAN OF BIG IDEAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 259, 2 November 1931, Page 5

MAN OF BIG IDEAS.

LATE MR. J. H. WITHEFORD.

A BORN OPTIMIST

RE-PEGGING OF GOLD CLAIM.

The late Mr. J. H. Witheford's life covered such a long period that some of his earlier experiences could iiot be duplicated to-day—methods and manners have changed. There is one story that has a smack of the Wild Weet about it. On one occasion there was an application before the Warden's Court for the forfeiture of a claim on the Hauraki Peninsula, a claim that wa& supposed to have good prospects. Among those waiting in the Court to see if the motion for forfeiture would be granted was Mr. Witheford —their idea being to re-peg the property and apply for a license to work it. The Warden did grant the application. As soon as lie gave his verdict there was a rush to the. door, and several of the smartest would-be peggers-out dashed off on horseback in an endeavour to reach the ground first. Mr. Witheford, however, merely went to a window in the Courtroom, and waved a white handkerchief. When this pre-arranged signal was seen from the nearest hilltop, a man on watch fired a gun. This in turn was heard-on top of a second hall, where a second man on watch also fired a shot. When the perspiring horsemen arrived at the claim they found that Mr. Witheford's agents had pegged it out again, and to avoid mistakes a man was sitting by each peg. After allowing a sufficient time to elapse after he had waved his handkerchief out of the window Mr. Witheford made formal application lor tho right to work the claim, and it was granted.

From 3d to £iooo. Mr. Witheford made and lost more than one fortune, but whatever happened he never lost his wonderful optimism. In the 'nineties he went Home with a number of mining properties to float. A friend in Auckland lent him several hundreds for the trip, but in Sydney Mr. Witheford must have made some money, for he returned the loan, with interest added. Arriving in London, he took a suite of rooms at the most expensive and fashionable hotel of the day. Before he could float any of his properties he ran out of cash, but even then his optimism never deserted him. One morning, when he was" down to his last threepence, the clerk of the hotel politely suggested that the management would be glad to have a cheque. Mr. Witheford said he was just going into the city to see his brokers, and as it was such a fine morning there was no need, to call a, cab; lie would walk. Just as he got near the haunts H the brokers a clerk met him and said: "Oh, we were just trying to get in touch with you, Mr. Witheford; we have floated that property over which you gave us an option." They went back to the firm's office, where Mr. Witheford was handed a cheque for £1000, and another for a smaller amount.; He cashed the smaller of the two cheques and drove back to his hotel. As he passed the office he threw the £1000 cheque on the desk and told the clerk to send the change upstairs. A few minutes later the manager arrived at the suite, full of " apologies, and explained that the clerk who had asked for a settlement was acting quite under a misapprehension.

Kindly Nature. On the occasion when a contingent of Imperial troops visited Auckland, Mr. Withef ord, who had a fine orchard, up the harbour, exhibited a kindly thought for the Indian detachment. He. hired'a ferry steamer and took them up to the orchard, where he told them to take a3 much fruit as they chose, and in order that they might see the country on the northern shore he sent the fruit back by steamer to the ship, and had brakes in which the visitors were driven to the ferry. Knowing they were not meateaters, he also arranged for-a large number of poultry to be sent to them as a gift. Offer for Railways. One idea of Mr. Withef ord's which was not adopted at the time might find more favour to-day. He returned to New Zealand from a trip to the United States with an offer from a syndicate to buy out the Government railways for a good round sum. As the service was not paying even then, he thought it would be a good idea to sell out, but the Government, and most probably the people generally, were not in favour of parting v.ith the railways. Mr. Withef ord's idea was to pay off the New Zealand's debt by the sale of the railways.