BURDEN OF WEALTH

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 102, 30 April 1921, Page 5

BURDEN OF WEALTH

YOUNG BARONET'S LAMENT

OVER DEATH DUTIES AND

TAXATION.

(MOM OUR OWiJ COMtESPONDBHI.) SYDNEY, 19th April.

■ Perhaps the mosfc interesting personal* ity on the Morea on her last trip to Sydney was a tall,' young, debonair baronet of ancient Scottish lineage—Sir Graeme Duncan Power Sinclair-Lock-hart, a New Zealander by birth, but, taking the family tree right back, a representative of one of the oldest Scottish families. He is only 24 years of age, 1 although he looks older, thanks, perhaps, to a neatly-dressed black moustache. Sir Graeme Lockhart, whose democratic homeliness on board the Morea served to put him on good terms with everyone, from the magnate wallowing in wealth 'to. the humblest steward, reminded one very much of the man from Mexico who had bars all round and and not a drop to drink. He has his broad, fertile agricultural acres, 6500 of them; he has his stately home, a photograph of which he proudly showed the writer; and he has his coalmine. But he gave one the impression that he would be happier if, by the magic of alchemy, he could turn all these things into burnishing gold before a rapacious British Government swallows up the whole lot in death duties and taxation.

As to'his coal pit at Wishaw, he was not certain whether it had not been flooded, in keeping with British striketime methods, but he hoped to hear more about it later, and about ttie lease which had been graanted of it to a colliery company on a, royalty basts. Aa to his broad acres, he says lie is selling half this estate, in ortier to clear off the death duties.» "I will not," he lamented 1, "have a penny to spend, unless I clear off the death duties." "Everything," he proceeded to remark, in the course of a chat on board, "goes in death duties and taxation, and,that is the case with every propertied Scotsman. Tilings,'however, will-be all right in a year or two." His dtemeanour does not suggest that he is very gireatly perturbed about the greediness of the British Government. His life story is an interesting one. It was on the death of his father, Sir Robert Duncan Lockhart, in Auckland, at about the time of the influenza epidemic, that he suddenly came into th« title and estates under this hereditary order of Nova Scotia, of which he is one of." the three remaining' holders, 'm& which, was instituted back in the night of ages—as far back as King James, in about 1636. His mother and his brothers, including the heir to the baronetcy (Mr. John Beresford SinclairLockhart), are Living in New Zealand. The order, which the young baronet proudly showed the interviewer, is a thing of d&zzEng splendour, and! is suspended from a ribbon, but not the original ribbon, although it is like it in colour. T"hio original ribbon, for such Sir Graeme claims it to be, he treasures as much as the order itself. His father was well known in banking circles before he came into the title, when he took over landed interests. The son is evidently following in the father's footsteps, for, in order to fit himself -'for agricultural pursuits, he took a year's course in agriculture at Pembroke College.

The pressman asked Sir Graeme when he was going back to Scotland. "I am going back there some day," he said, "but I don't know when. All my interests 1 are now there, however, and in order to get the best out of one's property it is necessary for him to be present to supervise its working. I will go back as soon as affairs a"re\ a t:bit more settled. Unemployment in Scotland is acute just now. In Glasgow alone it is estimated that there are '30,000 unemployed. The fact that the shipyards have closed down is largely responsible for the position." Officially, the young baronet is on furlough from his regiment, the Scottish Horse, in which he holds the rank of lieutenant, having been recommended for a commission,by the Duke of Athol, who met him at a social function in Scotland and discussed the matter with him. Unofficially, he has, to quote, his own words, or two pals with sheep stations in New Zealand," and, at their invitation, he is going to put in a year or two with them, before returning to his estates.

When war was declared, Sir Graeni*, who had not then succeeded to the title, was working on a station on the East Coast of Few Zealand. Shortly afterwards, he joined the 11th Squadron of the New Zealand Rifles and served with that regiment in Egypt and Palestine. After the Gaza battle, he was invalided back to New Zealand, and in 1918, upon his father's death, he went to Scotland to look after jthe estates which had fallen to him.

Sir Graeme is single, ancl is likely to remain single, judging from his jocular reference to the matter.