NATION’S BENEFACTOR

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10889, 17 July 1928, Page 6

NATION’S BENEFACTOR

LIVING IN NEW ZEALAND. Electric Telegrapn.—Press Association AUCKLAND, This Day. Mr Gifford Shaimr.n Reade, who has provided for the erection of a new naval school at Holbrook (Suffolk) by the gift tp the nation of his ancestral estate. i,s 83 years of age, and at present a resident ot Auckland. He came to. New Zealand thirteen years ago, primarily for deep sea; fishing. Having no family, and finding the climate, suited him, he has lived in the Dominion ever since, making Auckland his headquarters and travelling, extensively in both Islands. He still enjoys deep sea sport, although badly shaken by a, fall from a jetty two years ago.

He spent 35 years of his life in India, where lie amassed a large fortune. He had extensive tea estates in Assam, and acquired interests in many other industries, notably jute and coal.

The estate of 850 acres, which Mr Reade has presented to the nation, is on the southern boundary of Suffolk, in the vicinity of Harwich ana Shotley, both of which have developed as training centres in recent years.

When the great war broke- out. Mr Reads, placed his estate and Manor house on it at the- disposal of the Government and throughout the war unostentatiously made munificent, gifts to the Allied cause. Resides large sums of money, he presented brig© consignments of tea for distribution on the- Allied front.

Mr Reade has made a straight-out gift of his estate to the Admiralty and further endowed it with a very large sum of money, which has justified the Admiralty in proceeding with the erect-.on of the naval college.

Mr Reade states that the school will accommodate probably 1600 boys.

He has made a further offer of £IOO.OOOO to accumulate . until the principal sum i.g large enough to provide an income which will support the establislynent entirely)