THE SMITH MILLIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 108, 27 October 1911, Page 6

THE SMITH MILLIONS.

A PLASTERER'S FORTUNE. SOME FURTHER DETAILS. Much interest was aroused a weeks ago by the announcement that a big legacy had been left to Mr. Thomas Smith, a Cardiff commissionaire, by a millionaire brother, the feature which attracted notice to it b»ing that a daughter of the fortunate brother is Mrs. W. Clay, of Auckland.

An English paper states that Mr. Smith is said to have become entitled "to a fifth share in a fortune of £2,000,000. The other participants in the money are a sister who lives at Plymouth, two other sisters in Australia, and the children of a dead 'brother.

The legatee was Richard Smith, whose father was a master builder at Stoke Damerel, near Devonport. Richard was trained as a plasterer, but 60 years ago emigrated to Canada. Having saved a little money he invested it in land near Stratlnoy. While sinking a well for water lie struck oil, and it proved to be the richest oil-well in Canada. As the commercial value of oil increased so did Mr. Smith's fortune, until at his death in Mav it was estimated that his estate was worth £2,000,000. ' Mr. Thomas Smith intends to retire t* somewhere near his old home. He was 31 years with the Royal Engineers, and, as he says, "You cannot be in' the Service that length of time without knocking pbout a bit." He is now 64, and the quiet life a gentleman farmer has more attraction for him than the prospect of seeing the world again. Mr. Smith took his pension some eight years ago, and settled in Cardiff. He is now busy preparing for a trip to Canada to help settle up his brother's estate.