SHY MILLIONAIRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21988, 24 June 1933, Page 19

SHY MILLIONAIRE

MAHARAJA’S RICHES ; VALUED AT OVER £100,000,000. The world’s shyest millionaire was in London recently. He is 22 years old, the ruler of 0,000,000 people, and his fortune, including his/ magnificent Jewels, is estimated to be over £100,000,000. “ But his Highness the Maharaja of Jaipur is so shy,” writes a Sunday Chronicle representative. “ One of his relatives, the Ras Rajah Abey Singh, presented me to him at his hotel. He is tail, broad-shouldered, and good looking. Turning from the showcase of gaily coloured silk ties and handkerchiefs into which the young Maharaja was gazing he gripped my hand, smiled, and bowed. Then he stood fidgeting with his red and white spotted tie. “Ras Rajah Abey Singh will tell you anything you want to know,” he said. The Maharaja of Jaipur, with a team of four, 40 polo ponies, and 40 native grooms arrived in England to play polo. The ponies and their attendants came over in a specially chartered steamer. “ His Highness values his ponies at £IOOO each. He is a very keen player himself, and plays a fast, dashing game at full-back. He is paying all the expenses of the trip,” said the Ras Rajah. “His famous jewels are kept in his palace, which contains more glass than your Crystal Palace here. / “But"he is a very modern young man and his people are happy because he is building hospitals which boast the most up-to-date Equipment, schools, and colleges throughout the State. Gradually, too, he is breaking down some of tne old customs of his country, and he hopes in time to do away with the purdah for woman, the system of seclusion by which Indian women are screened away from strangers. But, of course that will take time.”