Memory of Notorious Sir Joseph Robinson

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7061, 8 November 1929, Page 5

Memory of Notorious Sir Joseph Robinson

UNWEPT, UNHONOURED AND UNSUNG

None of £12,000,000 Estate Left for Public Purposes

Australian Press Assn.—United Service.

Received Thursday, 7.15 p.m. CAPETOWN, Nov. 7th,

The will of Sir Joseph B. Robinson, pioneer of the Rand goldfields, who died last week, is published. The estate is believed to be worth £12,000,000 and not one penny is left to any public purpose.

The principal beneficiaries are his daughter, Ida, Countess Labia, who inherits one-third of the estate as well as reversionary interests; secondly, his son, the new baronet, Sir Joseph, .who receives two-thirds of one-third; and thirdly, one-third of one-third of-the estate to his daughter Florence. His widow, Lady Robinson, receives a life interest in one-third of the estate. The will allots £IOOO to a daughter residing in England and £SOO each to two children of his son, Wilfred, who died in Australia in 1922, “and no further amount of capital shall accrue to them, either directly or indirectly.” The Cape Times, in commenting on the will, declares it offends against ordinary human decency in two ways, firstly, in throwing contemptuous legacies at the heads of one surviving daughter and two grandchildren. “No warning of the depth of contempt which these vindictively' minute legacies to his own flesh and blood could bring upon his memory seems to have visited-this old man. His eyes were shut during his lifetime, and after his death his will speaks out the almost incredible evil of his nature. That is one way wherein his .will stinks to heaven. It stinks; too, against. public decency. Robinson owed the whole of his immense fortune to the chances of ljie in: South Africa and he has not left a penny any public purpose. ' ~ *‘Such a will carries a dreadful penalty, branding the name of the man who made it with infamy so conspicuous as to transcend the highest pinnacle of indignant scorn. Those .who, in the future, may acquire great wealth in South Africa .will shudder lest their memory should come within the possible risk of rivalling the loathly thing that is the memory of Sir Joseph Robinson.”

Robinson was a farmer and wool buyer till 1867, \Vhen he

acquired about 20,000 acres at Vaal river,' where he found I diamonds. He also discovered the Langlaagte gold mines. He bought his baronetcy in 1908 but when he was subsequently listed by the Coalition Government, under Lloyd George, for a peerage, there was such a public outcry in South Africa and Great Britain that the Government secured, but only with great difficulty, the proposed recipient’s refusal of the “ honour.” Robinson, who was bom in 1840, throughout his career enjoyed a notoriety,. in his business life at least, as unenviable as it was great, on account of his methods, but he exerted very great influence in the Kimberley district