FADED GLORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 85, 11 April 1933, Page 7

FADED GLORIES.

Horatio Bottomley to Become

Old-Age Pensioner.

TWICE A MILLIONAIRE,

LONDON, April 0.

Horatio Bottomley, at 73, is becoming an old-age pensioner on 10/ a week. A representative of the "Daily Mail" found the man who had been twice a millionaire, who had reputedly squandered thousands in gifts and gambling, who had pressed champagne even on the barber who was shaving him, who is notable for his massive fur collars, now frail and deaf, sitting in a warm dress-ing-gown, which was fastened round his shrunken throat with a safoty-pin, eating cold plum-pudding, which he declared was his favourite dish.

"People still remember me as a great and colourful personality," he said, adding: "One doesn't have to be pure as snow for the public to love him. Hundreds, especially old constituents, inundate me with letters, telling me their troubles, and how their children are progressing. "If Lloyd George, MaeDonald, Baldwin, and Bottomley were billed to discuss the silly disarmament business, I would get the most enthusiastic reception and the greatest applause."

Recalling his recruiting work, he said: "Kitchener told me many times that I alone made his army. 'Nine out of ten in Kitchener's army are Bottomley's men/ were his words." "Yes," added Bottomley, his voice dropping solemnly, "I sent thousands to their graves.* I should like to live on a year or two longer. I haven't any plans, but I can't really believe that Mr. H. B. is going to end like this."