The New Zealand Ad-VENTURER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 193, 23 July 1883, Page 2

The New Zealand AdVENTURER.

Lwanganui herald.] (by c. d.) The name of Alexander Hastings Malcolm is one that will be long remembered by the people of the North Island of New Zealand. When another Rusden shall arise and publish a fresh history of the isles, probably he will devote ,i chapter or two to the gentleman who is the hero of this story. This lively young man was first known m the district as chariot propeller— that is, he ased to drive a waggon— and when he became known to lame he was a sawmiller, and after pursuing the even tenor of bis way tor a year or two ha came to grief and filed his schedule, The liabilities were enormous, and the pass due bills which we/c handed to the trustees among his assets totalled some £21,000. Two well-known gentleman m Wanganui were appointed trustees at the meeting of creditors, and, haying agreed with a firm of. professional accountants to make up the books, they waited for the result. One of the smartest book-keepers m the colony was employed upon the job, and after patient and laborious enquiry submitted nis report to the trustees and then thuy knew just, as much about it as they did prior to the bankruptcy. After many months of anxiuns work and a deal of expense, the trustees realised the large amount of £11 13 4d (amount not vouched tor within £1), The debtor was allowed to retain his furniture, and left for Wellington with fast £17 m his pocket With his capital, and unlimited amount of " cheek," this wily individual started the Caswell Sound Marble Company, and advertised m all the papers m the colony to the tune of many hundreds of pounds (on credit). He got an influential directory, the company floated, and " all went marry as a marriage bell," the energetic Malcolm being appointed manager to the company. After about a year of pleasant times (mainly connected with dog, gun, and boat) the hero of this story turned up to Palmerston North, m the Manawatu district, with something between two and three thousand pouadsin cash, and Caswell Company shares. Looking about for fresh ventures, it struck him that the respectable merchant and land agent was about the right thing, and so, getting hold of Mr Flyger, a surveyor, a firm was started as Fiyger, Malcolm and Co. They went m for getting the promise of Native and other lands and selling them for an immense profit, getting a good deposit before they Had any title at all, and trusting to luck that the money they had (or it should be he) received would, secure the title, and that the profits would be pocketed on completion of the sales. Then a Mr Gillett appeared on the scene, and the firms combined, and advertised as Gillett Bros, and Co., Bordeaux, Wellington, and Palmerston North. They had a nicely-appointed score at Wellington, also at Palmerston North. Some time after, they (Gillett Bros, and Co.) arranged with a gentleman to go to Australia and sell a large trace of country, offering him a large percentage of the profit. The agent went to Australia, sold the land, and had deposit paid, &c, all correct upon his return to New Zealand. He found that this gay young Malcolm had been before the Court on a charge of illicit distillation, and had got off through some link m the chain of evidence being wanting. Then it turned out that neither he or his partners ever had any title at all to the country they had sent him to selU and that the whole matter was a gigantio speculation on the part of said Gillett Bros, and Co. Following this, the firm executed a private deed of arrangement with their creditors, but as one of the partners (Mr Flyger) refused to sign, not being able to see where £2500 of his and other people's money had gone to, the deed was not completed, and the firm wander d about sadly. Now for the denouemnt , ladies and gentlemen (especially ladies.) This gay Lothario, who is married and has children, has been for some time acquainted with a prepossessing maiden, who. was living with some friends at Wellington; -He had i>een buying all sorts of goods on credit end selling them for cash, and had placed the cash to the credit of his wife, and m the Savings Bank to his Son's credit. When the place got too hot to hold him, he told his wife that he would have to leave the colony, and made all arrange* ments for taking her and the children away with him. The money was therefore drawn from the several accounts, and all was arranged for a "flit." Having pocketed the money and humbugged his family until the last moment, our friend with Miss ■quietly went on board one of the U.S.S.' Company's boats and left for Fiji. The wife and family are left penniless ; the deluded creditors are loud m their lamentations,and the clearheaded but frisky young gentleman is having a good time "sailing o'er the glassy ocean to the sunny isles of the Pacific," with the fair, but frail, maiden of bis choice, there again to enter into business with the odd thousanus he has with him. We must all wish that luck m*y follow him, but (to quote the Gripbey "that it may never overtake him."