LUCKY NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 56, 29 November 1929, Page 9

LUCKY NEW ZEALAND

WHAT AUSTRALIA IS UP AGAINST “AUCKLAND LOSING ITS SOUL” What splendid opportunities there are for advancement in New Zealand and Australia for men who are not afraid to work, was mentioned t > a “Dominion” reporter yesterday by an ex-New Zealander, who, starting from scratch in Sydney in 1877, has now amassed a considerable fortune. Mr. George Wootton, who is revisiting relatives in the Dominion, was born at Walsall, Staffordshire, England, in 1868, and was educated in Walsall, and at the Arthur Street School in Dunedin. He joined the firm of Reid and Gray, machinery merchants, at Dunedin, as junior engineer, in 1882, but in 1883 left this firm to enter the service of James Hardie and Co., Merchants, of Dunedin, and was appointed manager of the boot department in 1886. In 1887, while only nineteen years of age, the Dunedin lad decided to try his fortunes in Australia. When down to his last sixpence, he at length obtained a position as clerk with the firm of Lukey and Meklin, saddlers and ironmongers, of Sydney, but after serving a few months with this firm joined the firm of Anthony Hordern and Sons, Ltd., in 18S8. . ( Feeding Millions. “Anthony Horderns,” explained Mr. Wootton, yesterday, “was not the huge concern it is to-day. The firm was then in its infancy, and I can well remember when Mr. Hordern asked me if I thought I could start a refreshment room for the firm. I was full of fight then, and was ready to tackle anything. Well, I set the refreshment room going, and during the first week provided meals for about 150 people daily. I lived to see those rooms provide meals for from 11,000 to 12,000 people daily.” Mr. Wootton is very proud of the fact that he had t]ie honour of designing the wedding cake for Sir Samuel Hordern, the head of the firm, on the occasion of his wedding, about 1904. This cake stood 10ft. 6in. in height, weighed 10001 b., and cost £l5O. After retiring from the service of Anthony Hordern and Sons, Ltd., in 1923, Mr. Wootton successfully engaged in speculative ventures in Sydney, aftiongst which were several big building contracts. He also interested himself in the goldmining boom in New Guinea, where his son-in-law, Mr. Russell Williams, now resides, as manager for a large syndicate at Port Moresby. Mr. Wootton produced some_ large nuggets of New Guinea gold, as well as several smaller specimens containing a fair proportion of silver, and declared that the New Guinea goldfields were very rich in precious metals. The New Guinea Gold Company had recently been formed in Sydney, with a capital of £5,250,000, to develop the mines in a thorough way. It was intended to employ some 4000 labourers, and to utilise aircraft in traversing the difficult country. Has Auckland Lost its Soul? “I was very disappointed to see the air of depression which hung about Auckland when I arrived,” said Mr. Wootton. “It appeared as if this once bright city had lost its soul. There was no life in the shop windows, and it seemed as if the business people had lost all desire to attract custom. I inquired the reason for this inertia, and was informed that times were bad. •If times are bad,’ I told them, ‘surely there is all the more reason why you should fight harder than ever?” “You fortunate people in New Zealand,” he continued, “do not know how well off you are. You have little of the labour and Communistic troubles we have’ to put up with in the Commonwealth. What with droughts and strikes, we have to keep fighting in Australia. A serious effort is being made in Australia to introduce the American system, which makes the labour unions the bosses, but the saner element in the country is fighting the effort bard, and I am certain will defeat it. We are at present bringing forward legislation to checkmate this sort of thing.” Mr. Wootton said he was greatly struck with the prosperous appearance of Wellington City. “You seem alive here,” he said; “your shop windows have soul in them.” Mr. Wootton, who is accompanied by .Mrs. Wootton, his daughter (Mrs. Russell Williams), and his grand-ds ughter (Miss Williams) intends spending some weeks with relatives in Dunedin, and will visit Tasmania and Victoria before returning .o his home in Sydney.