DEATH OF "CZAR REID."

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 40

DEATH OF "CZAR REID."

THE LARGEST LANDOWNER IN , THE WORLD. The dearh of Sir Robert Gillespie Reid, the Scotsman who was the dictator of Newfoundland, and probably the largest landowner in the world, was recently announced.

Hie career was a strange one (says the Daily Mail). Born at Coupar Angus, in Scotland, in 1840, he emigrated to Canada in 1868. After trying his fortunes at gold digging in Australia and California, he wont to Newfoundland, and made rapid progress »s a contractor and railway pioneer. In 1894 the Government of the colony was in great financial difficulties. "Czar Reid," as he became known la-ter. offered timely help, and in 1898 executed his master stroke, the famous "Reid contract " with the Government. By this document he became owner of the colony ' 6 docks, railways, telegraphs, posta! services, mining and lumbering rights, and 4,000,000 acres of land. He obtained the whole a.t a price said to be one-third of their probable value, but the Government was losing money annually on the various enterprises, and the " Reid contract" saved it from the gravest difficulties. Mr Reid, as he then was, for he was knighted only last year, received 2500 acres of land for each mile of Government railway built. His total landed estate is said to have (amounted at one time to 27,000 square miles. His total expenditur > in connection with tho contract with the Government was £900,000.

Having acquired these vast enterprises, Mr Reid set himself to reorganise them and turn them from unprofitable to paying concerns. In this way he was very largely successful.

Since then the colony has spent large sums in repurchasing its rights from Urr Robert Reid. The posts and telegraphs have been bought back, and the railways revert to the Government in 1951.

Personally " Czar Reid " was a tall, thin, mild-mannered man, and until recent years only considered remarkable for his passion for bridge-buildinfr and railway pioneering. It was a favourite boast of his that he would go anywhere he sent his men, and constant exposure greatly weakened his ponotitution, compelling him to spend come months in each year at Algiers.